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Full text of "The natural history of the Bible: or A description of all the beasts, birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, trees, plants, metals, precious stones, &c. mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures. Collected from the best authorities, and alphabetically arranged. By Thaddeus M. Harris, A.M. librarian of Harvard University, Cambridge. [Three lines from I Kings] Published according to act of Congress"

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■ 

te: 


Beasts, 

Birds, 

Fishes, 


Insects, 

Reptiles, 

Trees, 


P  L  A  N  T  S  , 

Metals, 

Precious  Stones,  See. 


wm:.  _ 

Mentioned  in  the  ^mt\3  @CnpftirC0. 


Collected  from  the  belt  Authorities, 


And  Alphabetically  Arrancejd. 


by  THAD  DEUS  M.  HARRIS,  A,  m. 

Librarian  of  Harvard  University,  Cambridge . 


“  He  fpake  of  trees ,  from  the  cedar  tree  that  is  in  Lebanon,  even  unto  the  h  .r 
■fop  that  fpnngeth  out  of  the  wall.  He  fpaltc  alfo  of  beafis, ^  and  and 'of 

-creeping  things,  arid  of fijhes*”  J  jowls,  ana  of 

- - - - - -  .  1  KlnS*,  iv.  33. 


PRINTED  at  boston , 
ey  I.  THOMAS  AND  E.  T.  ANDREWS 


Faust’s  Statue,  No.  45,  Newbury  Street. 


mdccxciii, 


/ 


TO  THE 

elucidation 

OF  THE 

SACRED  SCRIPTURES, 

TO  THE 

CAUSE  of  RELIGION, 
AND  TO  THE 
INFORMATION 
O  F  T  H  E 

Serious  Inquirer  after  TRUTH, 
this  W  O  R  K, 

And  every  Faculty  of  its  A  U  T  H  0  Rf 

.  t 

is  Consecrated 

Desicateo 


And  Devoted. 


‘  THE  books  of  Nature  and  of  Revelation  (m  Bilhop  Watfon  obferves)  equal- 
h/  elevate  our  conceptions-,  and  incite  our  piety  -r  they  mutually  illuftrate  each 

‘ilhCT  ;  lhey  aave  an  c3ual  claim  to  our  regard,  for  they  arc  both  written  by  the 
finger  of  the  one  eternal  ineomprehen fib U  GOD ,  to  whom  be  glory  forever  and  ever. 
Amen-" 


gntrofcutftom 


X  HERE  are  few  things  more  difficult  t© 
be  determined,  with  any  degree  of  certainty  and 
precifion,  than  thofe  which  relate  to  the  natural  hit- 
tory  of  the  world  in  the  earlier  ages*  For  we  have 
no  ancient  hiftory  of  nature,  which  defcribes  ani¬ 
mals,  plants,  &c.  under  their  original  names.  Some 
light,  however,  can  be  obtained  from  the  Hebrew, 
from  languages  more  immediately  derived  from  it, 
and  from  the  Greek  and  Roman  authors  who  have 
written  upon  thefe  fubjeds. — The  references  in 
the  bible  to  thefe  things,  although  very  concife,  and 
-  liable  to  a  diverfity  of  interpretation,  open  a  fruitful 
fource  of  interefting  and  inftrudhve  inquiry  :  And, 
when  judicioufiy  explained,  ferve  to  clear  up  ma¬ 
ny  obfcure  pad  ages,  folve  many  difficulties,  corredt 
many  wrong,  or  obfcure  interpretations,  and  open 
new  beauties,  in  that  facred  treasure.  And  a  thefe 
illuftrations,  (to  ufe  the  words  of  a  writer*,  whofe  o- 
pinion  adds  importance  and  dignity  to  my  fubjedt) 
though  they  do  not  immediately  redlify  the  faith,  or 
refine  the  morals  of  the  reader,  yet  are  by  no  means 
to  be  coniidered  as  fuperfluous  niceties,  or  ufelefs 
fpeculations  j  for  they  often  fhew  fome  propriety  of 
defcription,  or  elegance  of  allufion,  utterly  undifcov- 
erable  to  readers  not  fkilled  in  the  natural  hiftory  of 
the  Eaft  :  And  are  often  of  more  important  ufe,  as 

A  2  they 

*  The  late  Dr.  S.  John  for,  in  his  life  of  Sir  T.  Browne. 


vi  INTRODUCTIO  N. 

they  remove  fome  difficulty  from  narratives,  or  fome 
obfcurity  from  precepts. ” 

Should  the  following  pages  be  found  in  the  leaf! 
to  anfwet  fo  valuable  a  purpofe,  the  compiler  will  ef- 
Jeem  himfeif  amply  compenfated  for  all  his  trouble* 
He  lays  claim  to  no  praife  but  that  of  having 
brought  into  regular  form  fuch  information  as  he 
could  collet  from  various  works.  From  all  authors 
or  enahlifhed  reputation  he  acknowledges  his  having 
borrowed  fuch  materials  as  appeared  mod  important 
to  his  fubjeft.  He  thinks  it  meritorious  to  have 
drawn  information  from  the  bed:  and  molt  unexcep¬ 
tionable  fources- ;  and  to  have  availed  himfeif  of  all 
the  modern  difeoveries,  whether  in  criticifm  or  na¬ 
tural  hiftory,  which  could  tend  to  throw  new  light 
upon  any  difficult  fubjeff.  Ancient  and  modem 
travellers,  naturalids,  and  commentators,  have  been 
consulted-.  Extracts  have  been  made  from  all  with 
freedom  ;  and  not  only  their  information,  but,  in 
many  indances,  their  manner  of  expreffion,  adopted.* 

Bochart  has,  in  the  mod  learned  refearch.es,  traced 
the  names  of  the  Animals  mentioned  in  feripture 
through  the  different  languages  and  dialects  of  the 
Ead,and  found  proof  for  his  conclufions  from  fome 
linking  fimilarity  of  found,  or  fome  other  important 
circum dance,  which  it  would  require  almod  equal 
learningand  ingenuity  to  controvert,  or  refute.  The 
natural  hiftory  of  Damir,  and  the  illudraticns  of  oth¬ 
er  Arabian  authors,  proved  eminently  beneficial  to 

him 

%  il  Eft  benignum,  et  plenum  ingenui  pudoris,  fatftri  per  quos  pre- 
fitter  Is  Plin.  praefat. 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

him  in_  afcertaining  and  explaining  the  names,  the 
qualities,  See,  of  animals.  So  that  his  opinion  with 
refpedt  to  them  has  in  this  work  been  invariably  fol¬ 
lowed,  unlefs  it  appeared  outweighed  by  equally  in¬ 
genious  and  learned*  and  more  pertinent  illullration 
and  proof. 

With  regard  ioPlants  lefs  help  has  been  obtained. 
Neither  Dillerius*  nor  Celfius*  could  be  procured  $ 
though  their  opinion,  as  others  had  ufed  it,  is  feve- 
ral  times  quoted.  To  fupply  this  deficiency,  the  o- 
rigin,  or  root,  theii  Hebrew  n?.mps,  has  been 
learned  out  in  Buxtorf’s  and  Taylor’s  concordan¬ 
ces  ;  the  defeription  of  them,  or  referrence  to  them 
in  the  bible,  carefully  examined,  and  then  compared 
with  what  could  be  found  in  Diofcorides,  Pliny,  and 
others  among  the  ancients,  in  Rauwolf,  HafTelquilT* 
Shaw,  and  others,  among  the  moderns. 

Mr..  Bruce,  in  his  travels  to  difeover  the  fource  of 
the  Nile,  collected  fpecimens  of  natural  hiftory,  in 
Egypt,  Arabia,  Abyffinia  and  Nubia.  His  cele¬ 
brated  work  has  been  read  with  pleafure  and  advan¬ 
tage  ;  and  fome  extra&s  have  been  made  from  it. 
In  deferibing  the  plants,  birds,  and  beafis,  he  noticed 
in  his  travels,  Mr.  Bruce  made  it  “  a  conftant  rule  to 
give  the  preference  to  fuch  of  each  kind  as  are  men¬ 
tioned  in  feripture,  and  concerning  which  doubt9 
have  arifen.” — u  Many  learned  men,  fays  he,  have 
employed  themfelves  with  fuccefs  upon  thefe  topics, 
yet  much  remains  ftill  to  do  $  for  it  has  generally 

happened, 

*  Kierophyticon.  4to.  Utrecht,  172,5* 

Hiercbotanicon.  Upfat. 


via  INTRODUCTION. 

happened,  that  thofe  perfe&ly  acquainted  with  the 
language  in  which  the  fcriptures  were  written  have 
never  travelled  nor  feen  the  animals  of  Judea,  Palef- 
tine,  or  Arabia  ;  and  again,  fuch  as  have  travelled 
in  thefe  countries,  and  feen  the  animals  in  queftion, 
have  been  either  not  at  all,  or  but  fuperficially  ac¬ 
quainted  with  the  original  languages  of  fcripture.  It 
has  been  my  earned:  defire  to  employ  the  advantage 
I  poflefs  in  both  thefe  requifites,  to  throw  as  much 
light  as  poflible  upon  the  doubts  that  have  arifen.  I 
hope  I  have  done  this  freely,  fairly,  and  candidly  ; 
if  I  have  at  all  fucceeded,  I  have  obtained  my  re¬ 
ward,” 

Many  other  books,  befides  thofe  already  mention¬ 
ed,  have  been  occafionally  confulted  $  as  the  reader 
will  find  by  frequent  references  and  quotations  in 
the  following  pages.  In  fhort,  neither  pains  nor  ex¬ 
pen  fc  have  been  fpared  to  render  the  volume  wor¬ 
thy  the  approbation  of  the  publick,  and  a  ufefui  and 
valuable  fource  of  inftrudfion  to  thofe  whom  i  had 
principally  in  view  in  its  compilation. 

As  this  work  Was  undertaken  wfith  a  view  to  ge¬ 
neral  information,  and  defigned  in  particular  for  the 
inftrudlion  and  amufement  of  the  lefs  informed  and 
the  young,  all  technical  terms  have,  as  much  as  pot- 
fible,  been  avoided  ;  and  fhort,  natural,  and  intelli¬ 
gible  defcriptions  attempted.  Whenever  it  was  ne- 
ceflary,  as  was  fometimes  the  cafe,  to  introduce  He¬ 
brew,  Greek,  and  Latin,  words  or  fentences,  they 
have  been  inferted  in  the  note,  that  the  unlearned 

might  not  be  interrupted,  nor  the  fcholar  difappointed* 

To 


INTRODUCTION.  ix 

To  fome  of  the  general  illuflrations  are  added  fuch 
hiftorical  faXs,  critical  obfervations,  explanatory  re¬ 
flexions  and  reafonings,  as  occurred  from  confider- 
ing  the  many  objeXs  the  author  has  ventured  to 
treat :  It  is  hoped  thefe  will  not  be  deemed  altogeth¬ 
er  unneceflary  and  foreign  to  the  purpofe. 

After  all,  the  compiler  of  the  following  pages,  feels 
a  painful  diffidence  in  prefenting  them  to  the  pub¬ 
lic.  He  fears  that  the  critic  and  the  naturalilt  will 
note  with  feverity  the  errors  they  may  difcover  :  Yet 
he  trufts  each  will  recoiled  that  inaccuracies,  omif- 
fions,  and  miftakes,  are  almoft  unavoidable  in  a  work 
of  this  nature.  He  folicits,  he  confides  in,  the  can¬ 
dour  of  every  judicious  reader.  He  hopes  all  fuch 
will  furnifh  him  with  whatever  obfervations  they 
may  make  :  They  will  be  moft  gratefully  received  j 
and  fhould  the  favour,  or  indulgence  of  the  public, 
make  another  edition  of  this  work  neceflary,  it  fhall 
be  improved  and  enriched  with  them. 

“  Quod  potui  fed ,  fadant  meliora  potentes 
*  I  have  done  my  beji}  let  wifer  men  do  better/ 

Cambridge,  July  7,  1793. 


ADVERTISEMENT, 


f  * 


advertisement ; 


Those  articles  introduced  by  large  Roman 
capitals  are  to  be  found  in  our  Englijl)  tranfiation  of  the 
Jcriptures  :  Thofe  which  are  printed  in  Italic  capitals 
are  not ,  but  ought  to  have  been.  This  dijtinetion  is  not 
in  every  injlance  nicely  obferved :  Two  or  three  varia¬ 
tions  from  it  have  been  already  noticed . 

The  reader  will  find  in  fome  places  reference  to  a 
work  which  the  author  of  this  has  nearly  completed \ 
and  which  he  intends  to  puhlifh ,  Jhould  he  meet  with  en¬ 
couragement,  and  the  prefent  volume  prove  acceptable  to 
the  public.  It  is  to  take  the  title  of  “Differtatioas, 
illuft  rating  feveral  Paflages  of  Scripture  referring  to 
the  Natural  Hiftory,  Cuftoms,  Manners,  Literature* 
&c.  of  the  Eaft.” 


Explanation 


Explanation  of  fomc  Technical  Words  which 
could  not  well  be  avoided  in  this  W ork, 

.ACUMINATED.  Ufed  of  leaves  which  end  in  a 
point. 

ALKALI.  This  word  comes  from  an  herb  called  by 
the  Egyptians  kaliy  which,  when  burnt,  and  the  adies  boiled 
in  water,  gave  upon  evaporation  a  white  fait  that  they  called 
alkali.  Afterwards  it  was  ufed  for  the  falts  of  all  plants  ex¬ 
tracted  in  the  fame  manner.  A^d,  as  thefe  were  obferved 
to  ferment  with  acids,  the  figmfication  of  the  term  was  (fill 
further  extended,  fo  as  to  comprehend  whatever  fubdances 
had  this  effedt. 

AMPHIBIOUS.  An  appellation  given  to  that  clafs  of 
animals  which  live  part  of  their  time  in  warei  and  part  of 
it  on  land. 

CALLOSITY.  A  kind  of  fwelling,  or  induration,  eith¬ 
er  natural,  or  occafioned  by  much  friftion,  or  rubbing  a- 
gainft  hard  bodies. 

CALYX.  The  cup  of  a  flower,  or  that  part  which  fur- 
rounds  and  fupports  the  other  parts  of  the  flower. 

CARMINATIVE.  That  which  expels  wind  ;  warming. 

CARNIVOROUS.  Thofe  creatures  of  which  fiefi  is  the 
proper  food. 

COROLLA.  The  mod  confpicuous  part  of  a  flower, 
furrounding  its  parts  of  generation,  compofed  of  one  or  more 
petals. 

DECIDUOUS.  Leaves  are  faid  to  be  deciduous  which 
fall  in  autumn,  in  contradiftindlion  to  ewer  greens  which  re¬ 
main  ail  winter. 

DRUPE.  A  kind  of  pericarpium,  confiding  of  a  fo  ft, 
fiefhy,  and  fucculent,  pulp  ;  with  a  nucleus,  or  kernel,  in 
Its  center. 

EXCORIATED.  Where  the  (kin  is  galled,  or  rubbed  off. 

FARINACEOUS.  Mealy;  producing  meal. 

GENUS.  A  clafs  of  being,  comprehending  under  it  ma¬ 
ny  fpecies.  Thus  quadruped  is  a  genus  comprehending  un¬ 
der  it  almofl  all  terredrial  beads. 

GERMEN.  The  fame  with  bud. 

GRANIVOROUS.  Thofe  creatures  are  fo  called  which 
live  upon  grain. 

GREGARIOUS.  Thofe  creatures  which  go  in  flocks, 
herds,  or  coveys  :  As  dieep,  or  cattle,  or  partridges. 

XMBRICATJM. 


I  i 


I  i 


IMBRrCATIM.  Leaves  are  fo  placed  when  they  tie 

^,mr™n,%eJChv,COVerin8  a  Part  of  ,he  follow*  one. 
INDIGENOUS.  Native.  b 

LOBE  A  divifion  ;  a  diftina  part.  Leaves  are  lobed 
when  divided  to  the  middle  into  parts  that  Band  wide  from 
each  other,  and  have  their  margins  convex. 

OPAK.E.  Impervious  to  the  rays  of  light;  dark:  ob- 
fane,  c  * 

Clear  ;  franfParent  ;  notopake;  not  dark. 
riSNiJUTOUS.  Hanging  down  .:  As  the  flowers  of  the 
columbine,  See, 

PERICARPIUM.  A  covering,  or  cafe,  for  the  feeds 
ol  plants.  It  is  the  germen  of  the  pi  Hi  1  enlarged. 

PETAL.  An  appellation  given  by  Botanifts  to  the  flow¬ 
er  leaves,  in  oppofition  to  the  folia,  or  common  leaves,  of 
the  plant. 

PHYTLVOROUS.  Animals  are  fo  abominated  which 
eat  grafs,  or  any  vegetable. 

PISTIL.  Theftylein  plants. 

ROSACEOUS.  Flowers  formed  like  the  rofe. 
RUMINANT.  Such  animals  as  chew  the  cud. 

SERRA1  ED.  Indented  ;  notched,  in  the  manner  of  a 
faw. 

SMELT.  To  melt  ore,  fo  as  to  extract  the  metal. 
SPECIES.  A  clafs  of  nature  ;  a  (ingle  order  of  beings. 
STAMINA.  Thofe  little  fine  threads,  or  capillaments, 
which  grow  up  within  the  flowers  of  plants,  encompaflin£ 
the  ffyle..  y 

STYLE,  The  flalk  which  rifes  from  amid  the  leaves  of 
a  flower.  It  is  the  middle  prominent  part  of  the  flower  of 
a  plant,  which  adheres  to  the  fruit,  or  feed.  It  is  ufually 
(lender  and  long ;  whence  its  name, 

SUCCULENT.  Juicy;  moift.  Plants  whofe leaves  are 
thick,  and  juicy. 

TUBEROSE.  Having  prominent  knots,  or  cxcrefcenc- 
es.  Thofe  plants  are  called  tuberofe,  or  tuberous,  which  have 
a  round,  turgid,  root,  in  form  of  a  knob:  As  turnips,  Sec. 

UMBEL.  A  compoGtion  of  flowers  in  which  a  number 
of  (lender  fruit  (talks  proceed  from  the  fame  center  and  rife 
nearly  to  the  fame  height,  fo  as  to  form  a  regular  furface 
at  the  top,  branched  out  and  fpread  like  an  umbrella. 

UMBELLIFEROUS.  Plants  are  fo  called  which  pro- 
8uce  umbels,  or  rundies  of  flowers. 


THE 


T  H  E 


NATURAL  H  ISTORY 

OF  THE 

B  I  B  L  E. 

.  ■—  »»»>  >  <«« — 

Ad  A  M  AN  T.  The  fame  precious  (tons 
Jfcat  we  call  a  diamond.  It  is  the  harded,  and  mod 
refplendent  of  gems,  and  has  in  all  ages  been  efleem- 
ed  the  mod  valuable.  Its  colour,  when  pure,  as  it 
generally  is,  refembles  that  of  perfectly  clear  water. 
Rubbed  with  a  foft  fubdance  it  will  fhine  in  the 
dark.— It  is  uled  in  engraving  and  poli Cling 
gems.  jzr%  xvii.  1, 

It  was  the  third  jewel  in  the  lecond  row  of  the 
nigh  pried  s  bread  plate.  Exod •  xviii.  18. 

.  ^zcTKiei’s  forehead  was  made  like  an  adamant  ;  that 
is,  he  was  endued  with  undaunted  courage  in  declar¬ 
ing  God’s  meffage  to  the  Jews.  Ezek.  i ii.  9. 

I  he  hearts  of  wicked  men  are  faid  to  be  as  ada* 
mant  ;  neither  broken  by  the  threatenings  and  jud<r- 
ments  of  God  ;  nor  melted  by  his  promifes,  invita- 
tiens,  and  mercies.  Zech,  vii.  1 2.  [See  Diamond. 

B  ADDER. 


*4 


The  N  A  T  URAL  HISTORY 


ADDER.  A  venomous  ferpent,  confiderably 
fmaller,  and  fliorter,  than  the  fnake.  It  has  black 
foots  on  the  back  ;  its  belly  is  blackifh. 

In  our  tranflation  of  the  bible  we  find  the  word 
adder  five  times  ;  but  without  fufiicient  authority 
from  the  original. 

Shepiphon ,  Gen.  xlix.  17.  is  probably  the  cerafies  : 
A  ferpent  of  the  viper  kind,  of  a  fandy  colour,  which 
lurks  in  fand,  and  the  tratts  of  wheels  in  the  road  ; 
and  which  infelts  with  its  deadly  bite,  not  only  the 
unwary  traveller,  but  horfes  and  other  bealts. 

Petken ,  Pfa.  lviii.  4.  xci.  13.  and  cxl.  3.  figni- 
fies  an  a/p. 

By  Tziphoni ,  Prov.  xxiii.  32.  is  meant  that  dead¬ 
ly  ferpent  called  thebafilifk. 

In  Pfa.  lviii.  5.  reference  is  made  to  the  effe&  of 
mufical  founds  over  ferpents,  That  they  might  be 
rendered  tame  and  harmlefs  by  certain  charms, or  foft 
and  fweet  founds,  and  trained  to  delight  in  mufic,  was 
an  opinion  which  prevailed  very  early  anduniverfally. 

Many  ancient  authors  mention  this  effed  :*  Vir¬ 
gil  fpeaks  of  it  particularly. 

<«  Quin  et  Marrubia  venit  de  gente  facerdos. 

Fronde  Taper  galeam  et  felici  comptus  diva, 

Archippi  regia  mifTu,  fortiflimus  Umbro  s 
Vipereo  generi,  et  graviter  fpirantibus  hydru, 

Spargere  qui  fomnos  cantuque  manuque  folebat, 

Mulcebatque  iras,  et  morfus  arte  levabat.f” 

Umbro,  the  brave  Marubian  prieft  was  there. 

Sent  by  the  Martian  monarch  to  the  war. 

The  fmiliog  olive  with  her  verdant  boughs 
Shades  his  bright  helmet  and  adorns  his  brows, 

His  charms  in  peace  the  furious  ferpent  keep, 

And  lull  the  envenomed  viper’s  race  to  fleep  ;  His 

'•  Apol.  Rhod.  argon.  1.  4.  c.  147,  &c.  See  them  quoted  at  largo 

Eochart  hierez.  I.  3.  c.  6. 

f  ^£n.  vii.  v.  7501 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  Jl, 


His  healing  hand  allay’d  the  raging  pain  ; 

Ani  at  his  touch  the  poisons  tied  again.  * 

Mr.  Boyle,  in  his  eflay  on  the  great  cl  Feels  of  lan¬ 
guid  motionf  gives  us  the  following  paflage  fiom  Sir 
H.  Blunt’s  voyage  into  the  Levant  :J 

Many  rarities  of  living  creatures  1  faw  in  Grand. 
Cairo  j  but  the  mofi  ingenious  was  a  noil  cl  lerpents 
of  two  feet  long,  black,  and  ugly,  kept  by  a  french- 
man,  who,  when  he  came  to  handle  tnem,  would  not 
endure  him,  but  ran  and  hid  in  their  hole  :  1  hen 

he  would  take  his  cittern  and  play  upon  it. 
They,  hearing  his  mufick,  came  ad  crawling  to  hi> 
feet  and  began  to  climb  up  him  till  ne  gave  o 
■playing,  then  away  they  ran.”  Shaw,  Bruce,  aurl 
indeed  all  travellers  who  have  been  in  the  Levan  1, 
fpeak  of  the  charming  of  ferpents  as  a  thing  not  on¬ 
ly  poflible  but  frequently  feen. 

The  deaf  adder  (or  afp)  may  either  be  a  ferpent  of 
a  fpecies  naturally  deaf  (forfuch  kinds  are  mentioned 
by  Avicenna,  as  quoted  by  Bocbas  t)  or  onedeaf  by  ac¬ 
cident— or  on  account  of  its  appearing  to  be  fc.  Iu 
either  cafe,  it  may  belaid,  in  the  language  of  poetry,  to 
fop  its  ear,  from  its  being  proof  again  It  all  the  efforts  of 
the  charmer. 

In  the  fame  manner  a  perfon  of  no  humanity  or 
compaffion  is  laid  to  flop  his  ears  at  the  cry  of  the 
poor  ;  [Prov.  xxi.  13.]  and  from  the  hearing  of 
blood.  [Ifai.  xxxiii.  15.]  The  Pfalrni ft,  therefore, 
who  was  fpeaking  of  the  malice  and  flandering  lips 
of  the  wicked,  compares  their  promptitude  to 
do  mifehief  to  the  fubtle  venom  of  ferpents. 
And  he  carries  the  alluflon  further  by  intimating 
that  the  wicked  were  not  only  as  hurtful  and  perni¬ 
cious,  but  that  they  flopped  their  ears  likewife  againfl 
*  Warton*-°t  P •  cd.16S5.-Jp.  8x. ed.  5*  tbe 


1 6  Th  e  NATURAL  HISTORY 

the  moll  perfuafive  reproofs  and  foothing  cautions, 
•3s  the  afp  made  ilieif  deaj-  to  the  voice  of  the  charmers, 
charming  never  jo  wifely . 

i  he  companion  betwixt  a  malevolent  tongue  and 
the  bite  of  a  ferpent  is  illulTrated  from  other  texts  of 
feripture.  l  hus.  Ecclef.  x.  1 1.  Surely  the  ferpent 
will  one  notwithjzanding  the  enchantment ;  and  the  babbler  is 
7to  better — is  equally  perverfe. — Jeiem.  viii.  17.  / 

will  j  end  for  pent  s,  cockatrices ,  among  you,  which  will  net  be 
charmed ,  and  thy  Jhall  bite  you . 

AGATE.  A  precious  flone  of  a  greyifh  colour. 
Its  variegations  are  fometimes  mo  ft  beautifully  dif- 
pofed  ;  reprefenting  trees,  fhrubs,  plants,  rivers,  for- 
eifs,  clouds,  &c. 

It  was  the  fecond  done  in  the  third  row  of  the 
liighpriefl’s  bread  plate,  Exod.xxviii.  19.  xxxix.  12. 

The  tranflators  of  the  bible  have,  in  Ifai,  liv.  12. 
and  Ezek.  xxvii.  16.  given  the  fame  word  for  quite 
a  different  done.  In  both  thefe  places  the  ruby  is 
fpoken  of.* 

ALABASTER,  The  name  of  a  genus  of  foflils 
nearly  allied  to  marble.  It  is  a  bright,  elegant  done, 
fometimes  of  afnow  white;  it  may  be  cut  very  freely, 
and  is  capable  of  a  fine  polifh.  Being  of  a  foft  nature, 
it  is  wrought  into  any  form  or  figure  with  eafe. 
Vafes  were  anciently  made  of  it  wherein  to  pre- 
ferve  odoriferous  liquors  and  ointments.  Matth. 
xxvi.  6.  7.  Pliny,  and  others,  reprefent  it  as  pecu¬ 
liarly  proper  for  this  purpofe.  And  the  druggifls  in 
Egypt  have  at  this  day  veflels  made  of  it,  in  which 
they  keep  their  perfumes  and  medicines, 

ALGUM. 

*  See  Lowth,  and  the  new  tranflation  of  Ifai.  in  be.  Lapis  pyr** 
pus  3  1  aylor’s  Heb.  Concord* 


©7  THE  BIBLE. 


3  7 

ALGUM.  Timber  trees  which  grew  upon  mount 
Lebanon  ;  perhaps  cypreffes .  But  Solomon’s  navy 
brought  from  Ophir  large  quantities  of  this  wood* 
which  exceeded  any  thing  of  the  kind  feen  either  be¬ 
fore  or  after  in  the  land  of  Judea. 

ALMOND  TREE.*  This  tree  refembles  the 
peach  in  its  leaves  and  flowers,  but  differs  in  its  fruit. 
It  is  a  native  of  Africa.  It  is  thus  botanically  de- 
feribed  ;  “  Amygdalus  with  fpear  lhaped,  fawed 
leaves,  having  glands  at  the  bafe  :  And  with  flowers 
moftly  in  pairs,  fitting  ciofe  to  the  branches,  fuc- 
eeeded  by  large,  oval,  downy,  tough  fruit,  containing 
eatable  kernels  ; — comprehending  fe.veral  eminent 
varieties,  diflinguifhed  by  the  following  names  and 
properties,  viz,  i.  Common  almond,  with  a  bitter 
kernel.  2.  Sweet  kernelled  almond.  3.  Sweet  Jor¬ 
don  almond,  large  and  fuperior  in  goodnefs.  4, 
Tender  fhellcd  almond.  5,  Hard  fheiled  almond." 

The  trees  generally  affume  but  a  moderate  growth, 
obtaining  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feeL  flature  ;  di¬ 
viding  regularly  into  many  branches,  and  emitting 
numerous  flraight  fhoots  annually  :  The  whole 
forming  a  large  head,  adorned  with  long,  fpear  fliap- 
ed  leaves,  and  pale  white  flowers.  The  flowers  confifl 
of  five  petals  ;  the  calyx  is  fingle  but  divided  into 
five  fegments,  with  a  piftil  that  turns  to  a, fruit. 

They  flower  early  in  the  fpring,  before  the  leaves. 
Ihebloffoms  arife,  in  a  vaff  profufion,  all  along  the 
young  branches.  Thefe  are  fuccccled  by  large  ova! 
downy  fruit,  confiding  of  a  thick  tough  pulp,  includ¬ 
ing  an  oblong  nut  or  ftone,  containing  one  kernel^ 

B  2  which 

9  £ mjgdahts  communis  5  Common  almond* 


i8 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


which  is  the  almond,  and  the  only  efculent  part.  The 
whole  arriving  at  maturity  in  September  ;  the  outer 
tough  cover  fplits  open,  and  difcharges  the  ftone, 
with  the  kernel  therein. 

From  the  circumftance  of  its  bloftoming  the  earliefl 
of  any  tree  (beginning  as  foon  as  the  rigour  of 
winter  is  pah.)  it  has  its  Hebrew  name,  fchakad , 
which  comes  from  a  verb  fignifying  to  make  hajle , 
to  be  in  a  hurry ,  or  to  awake  early.  Thus  in  jerem.  i.  1 1. 
where  the  Prophet  is  fhewn  the  rod  oj  an  almond  tree.* 
God  means  to  indicate  to  him  by  it  that  as  this  tree 
makes  hafte  to  bud,  as  though  it  took  the  firft  oppor¬ 
tunity,  fo  he  will  haften  his  judgemfents  upon  the 
people.  In  like  manner  when  Solomon,  fpeaking  of 
an  old  man,  Ecclef.  xii.  g.  fays  the  almond  tree  jhall 
JlouriJh:  he  intends  to  exprefs  by  it  the  quicknefs  by 
which  old  age  advances  and  furprifes  us.  And  the  [now 
white  bloffomsupon  the  bare  boughs  of  the  tree,  happily 
illuflrate  the  hoary  head  and  defencelefs  (fate  of  age.fi 

Aaron’s  rod,  which  budded,  and  by  this  means  fe- 
eured  to  him  the  prieflhood,  was  a  branch  of  this  tree. 
Numb,  xviii.  8. 

ALMUG  TREE,  ALMUGIM.  ALGUMMIM. 
A  certain  kind  of  wood  mentioned  in  the  firft  book 
of  Kings,  x.  1 1.  which  the  vulgate  tranflates  Vgna  thy - 
inat  and  the  feptuagint  wrougktwood ,  The  word  thy- 
incorn  is  a  name  for  the  citron  tree,  known  to  the  an¬ 
cients,  and  very  much  efteemed  for  its  fweet  odour 
and  great  beauty. 

The  alrnug  tree,  almugim:  aJgummim.  or  fimply  gum- 
m im  is,  by  the  bell  commentators,  underftood  to  be  an 
oily  and  gummy  fort  of  wood  ;  and  particularly  that 
fort  of  tree  which  produces  the  gum  ammoniac. 

ALOE. 

#  In  the  Vulgate,  a  waking  rod*  fi  Haflelquift’s  Travels.  p.2S< 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E,  1$ 

ALOE.  The  Agallochum,  or  Zylo  Aloe.  A 
fin  all  tree  about  eight  or  ten  feet  high  :  Growing  nat¬ 
urally  in  Egypt,  Arabia,  Perfia,  Italy,  and  Spain. 
At  the  top  is  a  large  bunch  of  leaves,  which  are  thick 
and  indented,  broad  at  the  bottom,  but  growing  nar¬ 
rower  toward  the  point,  and  about  four  feet  in 
length.  Its  blolfoms  are  red,  intermixed  with  yel¬ 
low  ;  and  double,  like  a  pink.  f  rom  the  bio  horn 
conies  the  fruit,  or  pod,  which  is  oblong,  and  trian¬ 
gular,  with  three  apartments  filled  with  feed. 

This  extremely  bitter  plant  contains  under  the 
bark  three  forts  of  wood  :  The  firft  is  black,  folid, 
and  weighty  ;  the  fecond  is  of  a  tawny  colour,  of  a 
light,  fpongy  texture,  very  porous,,  and  filled  with  a 
fragrant  rofin — when  laid  on  the  hre  it  burns  readi¬ 
ly,  and  yields  an  aromatic  fcent;  the  third  kind  of 
wood,  which  is  the  heart,  has  a  ftrong,  but  agreeable 
odour.  This  lafl  is  efleemed  in  the  Eaft  more  pre¬ 
cious  than  gold  itfelf ;  and  is  ufed  for  perfuming 
habits  and  apartments,  and  as  a  cordial  in  fainting 
and  paralytic  fits.*  Thefe  pieces,  called  calunbac ,  are 
carefully  preserved  in  pewter  boxes  to  prevent  their 
drying.  When  they  are  ufed,  they  are  ground  upon 
marble  with  fuch  liquids  as  are  bed  fuited  to  the  pur- 
pofe  for  which  they  are  intended. 

The  wood  which  God  fhewed  Mofes,  that  with  it 
be  might  fweeten  the  waters  of  Marah,  is  called  al 
vaL  Exod.  xv.  25.  The  word  has  fome  relation  to 
aloe,  which  is  a  bitter  wood:  And  fome  interpreters 
are  of  opinion  that  Mofes  ufed  a  bitter  fort  of  wood 
that  fo  the  power  of  God  might  be  the  more  remark¬ 
able.  AMBER. 

*  Lady  M.  W.  Montague’s  Letters.  Vol.  2.  p.  91.  Arabian 
Night’s  Entertainment.  Vo!.  5.  No.  171.  Haffe^uift.  p.249.  Ray* 
sj-I’s  Indies.  Vol.  2.  p.  279. 


so  Thx  NATURAL  HISTORY 

AMBER#  A  pellucid,  and  very  hard  inflammable 
mineral  bitumen  :  Brittle,  and  generally  of  a  yellow, 
or  citrine  colour ;  though  fometimes  it  is  whitifh  and 
fometimes  brown.  The  tafte  is  fomewhat  acrid  and 
bituminous,  with  a  little  aftringency  :  The  fmell, 
when  warm,  is  fragrant.  When  rubbed,  amber  is 
highly  endowed  with  that  remarkable  property  called 
eleChicity.  It  was  called  by  the  Greeks  sXzxrgov, 
and  by  the  Arabians  carade ,  from  its  power  of  attract¬ 
ing  ftraw,  and  other  light  bodies. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  ancient  Hebrews  had 
any  knowledge  of  dedrum,  St.  Jerom  thinks  that 
Ezekiel,  i.  4,  27.  viii,  2.  means  a  precious  metal. 
And  Bochart  and  Le  Clerk  think  that  the  Hebrew 
word  kachafmal  fignifies  that  kind  of  metal  which  the 
Greeks  made  by  melting  together  one  fifth  of  filver, 
or  fine  brafs,  with  four  fifths  of  gold  :  This  they 
called  dedrum — and  this  is  the  word  the  feptuagint 
verfion  ufes  here. 

AMETHYST.  A  tranfparent  gem  of  a  purple 
colour,  which  feems  compofed  of  a  ftrong  blue  and 
deep  red  ;  and,  according  as  either  prevails,  afford¬ 
ing  different  tinges  of  purple,  fometimes  approaching 
to  violet,  and  fometimes  even  fading  to  a  rofe  co¬ 
lour. 

The  ftone  called  amethyft  by  the  ancients  was  e- 
vidently  the  fame  with  that  now  generally  known  by 
this  name  ;  which  is  far  from  being  the  cafe  with  re¬ 
gard  to  fome  other  gems.-^The  oriental  is  the  hard- 
eft,  fcarceft,  and  mo  ft  valuable. 

It  was  the  ninth  ftone  in  the  high  Prieft’s  breaft 
plate,  Excd.  xxviii.  19.  and  the  twelfth  in  the  foun¬ 
dations  of  the  New  jerufalem.  Rev,  xxi,  20. 

ANISE* 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  21 

/ 

ANISE.  An  annual  umbelliferous  plant  ;  not 
unlike  parfley  in  its  manner  of  growth,  but  the  leaves 
are  broader  on  the  bottom,  and  thofe  on  the  {talks 
finer.  It  is  cultivated  for  medicinal  and  culinary 
purpofes. — Its  feeds  have  an  aromatic  fmell,  and  a 
pleafant  warm  tafle,  accompanied  with  a  degree  of 
fweetnefs :  In  them  is  contained  a  great  deal  of  ef- 
fential  oil,  highly  carminative. 

The  plant  grows  natuially  in  Egypt,  Syria,  Crete, 
and  other  places  of  the  Ealt. 


ANT.  A  little  infefl,  famous  from  all  antiquity 
for  its  focial  habits,  its  economy,  unwearied  indus¬ 
try,  and  prudent  forefight,  it  has  been  offered  as  a 
pattern  of  commendable  parfimony  to  the  profufe,  and 
of  unremitting  diligence  to  the  flothful. 

Solomon  calls  them  exceedingly  wife,  for  though  a  peo¬ 
ple  not  firong  yet  they  prepare  their  meat  in  the jummer.* 
He  therefore  fends  the  fluggard  to  this  little  creature 
to  learn  wifdom,  forefight,  care,  and  dilgence.i 

That  the  ant  hoarded  up  grains  of  corn  againfl  the 
winter  for  its  fuflenance,  was  very  generally  believed 
by  the  ancients, J  though  modern  naturalifts  feem  to 
queflion  the  faff.  The  moff  learned  Bochart,  in  his 
Hierozoicon,  has  oifplayed  his  vail  reading  on  this 
fubjeft,  as  he  ufually  does  on  all  others  ;  and  has  cit- 
ea  paffages  from  Pliny ,  Lucian ,  sElian,  Zcroaftcr,  Origen9 
■Ba/il:  and  Epiphanius ,  JerviJh  Rabbi's,  and  Arabians ,  all 
concurring  in  the  opinion,  that  Ants  cut  off  the  heads  of 
grain,  to  prevent  their  germinating  :  But  he  confeffes, 
that  the  ancienter  Greek  writers  have  made  no  fuch 


obfervation 


*  Prov.  xxx.  24.  25. 
and  1.  xi.  c.  30.  /Elian.  ]. 
1.  vim  624,  fior.  §  at.  j. 


+  1>rov-  v'-  6,  7,  8.  i  Plin.  }.  x.  c.  72, 
ii.e.  25*  ].  vi,  c.  Ovid,  Metanv. 

Georg.  i,  and  Aa.  iv.  4^ 


. 


22  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


observation  of  the  Ants  ;  nor  any  of  them  who  lived 
before  Pliny ,  as  far  as  he  »emembers.  Very  probably* 
this  opinion  arofe  from  what  might  have  been  ob- 
ferved  of  thefe  laborious  infeds,  in  cutting  afunder 
with  their  faws  fuch  grains  of  corn,  or  other  matters, 
which  they  might  have  occafion  to  carry  to  their 
neffs,  but  were  too  bulky.— And  it  is  obfervable,  that 
the  Hebrew  name  of  the  Ant  Nemala ,  from  the 

Verb  Namal ,  which  fignifies  to  cut  off,  is  ufed 

fox  cutting  off  ears  of  corn.  Job  xxiv.  24. 

But  if  we  confider  the  two  texts,  in  the  Book  of 
Proverbs,  referred  to  above,  there  is  not  the  lead  inti¬ 
mation  in  them  of  their  laying  up  corn  in  (lore  againjl 
winter.  In  chap.  vi.  ver.  8.  it  is  faid,  She  provideth  her 
meat  in  the  Jummer ,  and  gather eth  her  food  in  the  harveft  : 
For,  though  the  former  Verb  Utkin  fignifies 

to  prepare,  or  difpofe  in  order,  and  the  latter 
Agar  to  colled,  or  gather  together  ;  and  in  the  only 
two  places  where  I  find  it  occur  befides,  is  ufed  for 
gathering  in  fummer,  as  Prov.  x.  5  and  for  gathering 
in  the  vintage,  Deut.  xxviii.  39,  yet  the  expreflion, 
in  the  text,  neceffarily  means  no  more,  than  that  they 
colled  their  food  in  its  proper  ieafon.  Nor  is  there 
any  thing  elfe  declared,  chap,  xxx,  ver.  25*  So  that 
all  which  may  fairly  be  concluded  from  feripture  is, 
that  they  carry  food  for  themfeives  into  their  repofi- 
tories.  to  fervethem  as  long  as  it  will  keep  good,  or  they 
fhall  need  it.  That  they  do  this  againft  winter  can  only 
be  determined  by  examining  into  the  fad  :  This  has 
been  done  with  very  great  diligence,  and  it  appears 
that  they  eat  not  at  all  in  the  winter,  and  have  no 
floresffaid  in  of  any  fort  of  food.  The  opinion  there¬ 
fore  of  their  laying  in  magazines  againft  winter,  feerr.s 

>  i  A 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  23 

to  me  to  have  been  grafted  on  thefe  Scriptures,  rather 
than  found  in  them  ;  and  this  from  a  conclulion  na¬ 
turally  enough  made,  from  obferving  their  wonder¬ 
ful  labour,  and  induflry  in  gathering  their  food  in 
the  fummer,  fuppofing  that  this  muft  be  to  provide  a- 
gainft  winter. — And,  after  all,  great  part  of  their  labour, 
which  may  have  been  bellowed  in  other  fervices, 
might  eafily  be  miflaken,  by  lefs  accurate  obfervers, 
for  carrying  in  food.  But  it  may  be  thought  fuffi- 
cient  for  the  purpofe  if  it  were  in  Solomon’s  time 
but  a  popular  notion. — The  feriptures  are  not  to  be 
confidered  as  unerring  guides  in  natural ,  although 
they  are  in  moral  and  divine  matters** 

ANTELOPE.  [The  Egyptian  Antelope.i]  An 
animal  of  the  fame  fize  with  our  domeflic  he-goat ; 
but  in  figure,  colour,  and  agility,  refembling  the  flag. 

The  belly,  rump,  and  legs  are  white  ;  but  each  leg 
is  marked  below  the  knee  with  a  dufky  fpot.  The 
reft  of  the  body  is  grey  or  reddifh  ;  except  that  a 
black  line  runs  along  the  back.  The  horns  are  aL 
moft  perfeflly  ftraight  ;  of  a  blackifh  colour ;  each 
about  an  inch  and  an  half  in  diameter  at  the  bafe, 
and  diftinguifhed  on  the  lower  half  by  twenty,  or 
more,  prominent  or  wavy  rings — the  upper  half 
fmooth,  and  tapering  into  a  (harp  point. 

’  This  animal  is  an  inhabitant  of  Syria,  Arabia,  Per- 
fia,  India,  Egypt,  and  Ethiopia.  It  is  fuppofed  to  be 
the  Tztbi  of  the  holy  feriptures,  Deut.  xiv.  5* 

Almoft  every  fpecies  of  the  Antelope  has  the  fol¬ 
lowing  general  agreements  :  They  arc  animals  of  a 
moft  elegant  and  a£five  make,  of  a  refllefs  and  timid 

difpofition, 

•  Dureil,  on  Pf  exxi,  6.  and  Prov*  vi.  8>  f  Antelope  oryx.  Lin . 


■wiP 


"4 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


difpo'fition,  extremely  vigilant,  of  great  vivacity,  re¬ 
markably  fwift  and  agile,  and  moil  of  their  boundings 
are  fo  light  and  fo  elaflic  as  to  flrike  the  fpetlator 
with  affonifhment.  Like  the  hare,  their  hinder  legs 
are  longer  than  thole  before,  which  add  to  their  fe- 
curity  ip  afcending  or  defcending  deep  places.  Like 
the  fhcep  they  have  all  a  cloven  hoof  ;  and  they 
have  alfo  permanent  horns  ;  but  thofe  of  the  female 
are  fmaller  than  thofe  of  the  male. 

The  fleetnefs  of  the  Antelope  was  proverbial  in  the 
country  it  inhabited,  even  in  the  earliefl  times  :  The 
Gadites  were  faid  to  be  as  fzoijt  as  the  roes  upon  the 
mountains . 

It  is  fuppofed  to  have  the  moll:  beautiful  eye  of  any 
animal  in  the  world  :  So  blending  brilliancy  with 
meeknefs  that  all  the  eaftern  poets  compare  the  eyes 
of  their  midrefles  to  thofe  of  this  animal.  Aim  el  Cza- 
ztl — “you  have  the  eyes  of  an  antelope,”  is  condd- 
ered  as  the  higheft  compliment  that  a  lover  can  pay. 

ANTIMONY.  A  po»derous,  brittle,  femi-metal, 
compofed  of  long,  fhining  {freaks,  like  needles,  in¬ 
termingled  with  a  dark  lead  coloured  fubltance. 

The  fcripture  fpeaks  of  its  ufe  as  a  kind  of  paint 
with  which  the  women  blackened  their  eyes.* 

APE  :  or  Monkey.  A  four  footed  animal,  refem- 
bling  fomewhat  the  human  figure.  Its  face  is  naked  ; 
and  its  claws  like  the  nails  of  a  tnarf :  And  indeed 
its  ears,  eye  lids,  lips,  and  breads,  refemble  thofe  of 
the  human  race ;  and  their  internal  conformation 

bears 

*  2  Kings  ix.  30.  Ifai.  iii.  16.  jerem.  iv.  30.  Ezek.  xxiii.  40.  See 
this  pra&ice  largely  treated  of  in  a  volume  which  is  1 e  fucceed  tht 
prefent,  on  «*  the  cuftoms  and  manners  of  the  Eaft.” 


of  the  BIBLE. 

bears  fome  diftant  likenefs.  This  reflection  is  iuf- 
bcient  to  mortify  the  pride  of  thofe  who  make  their 
perfons  alone  the  principal  objeCt  of  admiration. 
They  are  lively,  agile,  and  full  of  frolic,  chatter, 
and  grimace:  Yet  filthy,  obfcene,  lafcivious,  and 
thievifh  in  their  manners.  In  milchievous  artifice 
they  all  difplay  a  degree  of  human  ingenuity.  Pecu¬ 
liar  deformity,  rather  than  fuperiour  beauty,  feetns  to 
be,  through  all  the  fpecies,  the  lefult  of  their  near  re- 
femblance  to  the  human  form.  We  are  ftruck  with 
horror  to  fee  our  form,  features,  and  geftures,  impel  fe£l> 
ly  imitated  in  an  inferiour  order  of  quadrupeds.  And 
the  fi r ft  fight  of  one  of  them  fhocks  fenfibility  in  the 
fame  manner  as  monflrous  deformity  in  an  individual 
of  our  own  fpecies.  Proud  of  our  alliance  to  angels, 
we  cannot  but  be  afhamed  of  our  relation  to  monkies. 
The  Gieek  writers  fpeak  of  a  kind  of  ape  in  Ethi¬ 
opia,  and  on  the  borders  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  they 
called  kephos ,  ktibos ,  and  ktbos ,*  a  name  which  comes 
pretty  near  the  Hebrew  kuph  or  koph.  Which  Shaw 
fuppofes  the  marmofet,  or  Ethiopian  monkey.  + 

They  were  brought  to  Judea  by  Solomon’s  fleet, £ 

APPLE  TREE.  The  feveral  places  where  this 
tree,  and  its  fruit,  are  fpoken  of  in  our  tranflation  of 
the  bible,  fhould  have  been  rendered  the  citron ; 
Which  tree  is  of  a  moderate  height,  with  a  branched 
fpreading  root,  yellowifh  without  and  whitifh  with* 
in.  The  trunk  is  (lender,  the  wood  white  and  hard, 
and  the  bark  of  a  pale  green  colour,  of  a  fine  aromat¬ 
ic  fmell  and  tafie.  The  boughs  are  numerous,  long, 

(lender, 

•Strabo,  l.xvii.et  alii.  See  a!fo  Plin,  Hul.  Nat.  +  S-uppI.  p  95, 
1 1  Kings  x.  22.  2  Chron,  ix.  21. 

c 


20 


Th  e  NATURAL  H1STOR  Y 

Hen der,  and  tough  ;  the  oldeft  of  them  of  a  light,  yeb 
lowifh,  green,  and  aimed  with  pale  prickles;  but 
thole  that  are  more  recent  are  of  a  beautiful  green. 
The  tops  of  the  branches  are  tender,  and  of  abrown- 
ifh-red  green,  as  well  as  the  leaves,  which  are  of  the 
lize  of  thofe  of  the  walnut  tree,  generally  blunt,  but 
now  and  then  accuminated,  and  they  are  three  times 
as  long  as  they  are  broad  :  The  lower  part  is  not  fo 
green  as  the  upper,  and  the  edges  are  a  little  ferrated. 
The  tree  is  always  clothed  with  them,  both  winter 
and  fummer;  and  when  they  are  held  up  againlt  the 
fun  they  appear  to  have  holes  in  them  like  St.  John’s 
wort,  or  rather  to  be  full  of  tranfparent  fpecks. 
The  flowers  grow  on  the  tops  of  the  branches,  and 
are  rofaceous,  with  flefhy  petals,  which  are  generally 
five  in  number,  and  Hand  almoft  upright.  Without, 
they  have  a  reddifh  blufh,  but  are  white  within,  and 
are  placed  in  a  ring.  The  calix  is  fmall,  and  divid¬ 
ed  into  five  fegments  ;  and  under  the  yellow  apex 
there  are  a  great  many  (lamina.  Among  the  (lamina 
there  is  a  longifh  pifbl,  the  rudiment  of  the 
and  thole  flowers  that,  are  without  never  produce-any. 
The  fiiape  of  the  fruit  is  oblong,  but  fometirnes  glob- 
ous  ;  and  fome  terminate  in  a  point,  while  others  are 
blunt  :  The  furface  is  wrinkled  and  tuberqfe,  and  is 
often  nine  inches  in  length,  and  upwards;  the  fize 
is  different,  as  well  as  the  weight— -for  fome  weigh 
fix,  nine,  and  even  thirty  pounds.  The  outer  rind 
istou^h,  thin,  bitter,  and  hot  ;  and  the  colour  is  at 
hr  ft  green,  but  when  ripe  is  turned  to  that  of  gold. 
The  inner,  or  white  rind,  is  thick,  him,  fweetifh 
with  a  liale  acidity.  Within  it  is  divided  into  fever- 
al  cells,  full  of  an  acid  juice;  there  contain  alio  the 
deeds,  which  are  numerous. 


In 


©  F  THE  BIBLE.  27 

i 

In  hot  countries  both  flowers  and  fruit  may  be 
feen  on  the  tree  at  the  fame  time,  as  well  in  the 
fpring  as  the  autumn  ;  but  they  are  more  plentiful  in 
the  laft.* 

The  following  amended,  and  j u ft  tranflation  of 
Prov.xxv.11.  may  not  improperly  be  introduced 
here  :  Like  golden  citrons  in  jiiver  veJftls,J'o  is  an  excellent 
{nying  exprejftd  in  terms  Jiatal  to  it. t 

APPLES  of  SODOM.  The  fruit  of  the  folanum 

c 

melongena ,  Linnod  ;  by  other  authors  called  mad  apples. 
The  plant  has  a  fibrous  root,  and  generally  a  tingle 
ftalk  that  rifes  to  a  foot  in  height.  The  leaves  are  as 
large  as  one's  hand,  and  refemble  thofe  of  the  oak. 
The  flowers  grow  oppofite  the  leaves,  fometimes  fing- 
ly,  and  fometimes  placed  by  two  and  three.  They 
are  fucceeded  by  fruit  of  the  fize  of  an  egg,  and  of  a 
cylindric  fhape;  they  are  iol id,  fmooth,  of  a  purple 
or  greenifh  colour,  and  foft  to  the  touch.  The  pulp 
iVwhitifh,  full  of  juice,  and  interfperfed  nvith  fiat 
feeds  in  the  fhape  of  a  kidney. 

They  grow  in  plenty  about  Jericho  in  the  vales  near 
Jot  dan,  not  far  from  the  dead  fea.  They  are  fome¬ 
times  fiHed  with  a  dull,  but  this  is  the  caleonly  when 
the  fruit  is  attacked  by  an  infect  which  turns  all  the. 
in  fide  into  powder,  leaving  the  fkin  only  entire,  and 
of  a  beautifully  inviting  colour. 

ASIIKOKO.  This  curious  animal  is  found  in  Ethi¬ 
opia,  and  plentifully  on  Mount  Libanus,  &c.  “It 
does  not  burrow,  or  make  holes,  as  the  rat  and  rabbit, 
nature  having  interdicted  him  this  practice  by  fur- 
mfhing  him  with  feet,  the  toes  of  which  are  perfectly 

'  round. 

*  Brooke’s  Nat.  Hitt.  vol.  6.  n.  159.  f  Durell. 


.  7^';  ~ry. ■* -7-^- -t  ~c- 


?fs~  M 


28  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

round,  and  of  a  foft,  pulpy,  tender  fubftance ;  the 
flefhy  parts  of  the  toes  projett  beyond  the  nails,  which 
are  rather  broad  than  (harp,  much  fimilar  to  a  man’s 
nails  ill  grown,  and  thefe  appear  rather  given  him 
for  the  defence  of  his  foft  toes,  than  for  any  affive 
ufe  in  digging,  to  which  they  are  by  no  means  a- 
dapted. 

The  total  length  of  the  animal  as  befits,  is  17  inch¬ 
es  and  a  quarter. — He  has  no  tail,  and  gives  at  firfl 
fight  the  idea  of  a  rat,  rather  than  of  any  other  crea¬ 
ture.  1 1  is  colour  is  grey,  mixed  with  reddifh 
brown,  perfectly  like  the  wild  or  warren  rabbit.  His 
belly  is  white,  from  the  point  of  the  lower  jaw,  to 
where  his  tail  would  begin,  if  he  had  one.  All 
over  his  body  he  has  fcattered  hairs,  ftrong  and  polifh- 
ed  like  his  muRachoes  ;  thefe  are  for  the  moR  part 
two  inches  and  a  quarter  in  length.  His  ears  are 
round,  not  pointed.  He  makes  no  noife  :  And  cer¬ 
tainly  chews  the  cud. 

Inftead  of  holes,  they  feem  to  delight  in  lefs  clofe, 
or  more  airy  places,  in  the  mouths  of  caves,  or  clefts 
in  the  rock  ;  or  where  one  projecting,  and  being  open 
before,  affords  a  long  retreat  under  it,  without  fear 
that  this  can  ever  he  removed  by  the  Rrength  or  ope¬ 
rations  of  man.  They  are  gregarious,  and  frequently 
fevesal  dozens  of  them  fit  upon  the  great  Rones  at  the 
mouths  of  caves,  and  warm  themfelves  in  the  fun,  or 
even  come  out  and  enjoy  the  frefhnefs  of  the  fummer 
evening.  They  do  not  Rand  upright  upon  their  feet, 
but  feem  to  Real  along  as  in  fear,  their  belly  being 
nearly  clofe  to  the  ground,  advancing  a  tew  Reps  at 
a  time,  and  then  paufing.  They  have  fomething  ve¬ 
ry  mild,  feeble  like,  and  timid  in  their  deportment  > 

arc 


©*'  THE  BIBLE,  29 

are  gentle  and  eafily  tamed,  though,  when  roughly 
handled  at  the  firft,  they  bite  very  feverely.”* 

Many  are  the  reafons  to  believe  this  to  be  the  ani¬ 
mal  called  faphan  in  Hebrew,  and  erroneoufiy  by  our 
trandators  the  coney  or  rabbit.  We  know  that  the 
lad  mentioned  animal  is  peculiar  to  Spain,  and  there¬ 
fore  could  not  be  fuppofed  to  be  either  in  Judea  or 
Arabia.  They  are  gregarious  indeed,  and  fo  far  re¬ 
ferable  each  other,  as  alfo  in  point  of  fize  ;  but  feck 
not  the  fame  place  of  retreat,  for  the  rabbit  burrows 
mod  generally  in  the  land.  Nor  is  there  any  tiling 
in  the  character  of  the  latter  animal  that  denotes  ex¬ 
cellent  wifdom,  or  that  they  fupply  the  want  of  drength 
by  any  remarkable  fagacity.  The  faphan  then  is  not 
the  rabbit,  which  lad,  unlefs  it  was  brought  him  by 
his  fhips  from  Europe,  Solomon  never  faw. 

Let  us  now  apply  the  chara&ers  of  the  Afhkoko 
to  the  Saphan.  “He  is  above  all  other  animals  fo 
much  attached  to  the  rocks,  that  I  never  once,  h\ s 
Mr.  Bruce,  law  him  on  the  ground,  of  from  among 
large  dones  in  the  mouth  of  caves,  where  is  his  con- 
dant  refidence.  He  lives  in  families,  or  flocks.  He 
aS  in  judea,  Paledine,  and  Arabia,  and  confequently 
mud  have  been  familiar  to  Solomon.  David  defcribes 
him  very  pertinently,  and  joins  him  to  other  animals 
perfectly  known  :  44  The  hills  are  a  refuge  for  the  wild 
goats,  and  the  rocks  for  the  faphan”  [or  afhkoko.  fj 
And  Solomon  fays  that  44  they  are  exceeding  wife  ” 
that  they  are  but  a  feeble  folk,  yet  make  they  their 
houfes  in  the  rocks.Ӥ  Now  this,  I  think,  very  obvi- 
ouhy  fixes  the  afhkoko  to  be  the  faphan,  for  this 
weakness  kerns  to  allude  to  his  feet,  and  how  inade¬ 
quate  thefe  are  to  dig  holes  in  the  rock,  where  yet 

C  2  however 

*  Bruce.  f  Pfal.  civ.  ver.  18.  §  Prov.  xj  x.  34  26.  # 


30  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

however,  he  lodges.  From  their  tendernefs  thefe  are 
'  wy  liable  to  be  excoriated  or  hurt  :  Notwith hand¬ 
ing  which  they  build  houles  in  the  rocks,  more  inac- 
ceihble  than  thofe  of  the  rabbit,  and  in  which  they 
abide  in  greater  fafety  ;  not  by  exertion  of  drength, 
for  they  have  it  not,  but  are  truly,  as  Solomon  fays,  a 
feeble  folk,  but  by  their  own  fagacity  and  judgment, 
and  are  therefore  judly  defer ibed  as  wife.  Ladly, 
what  leaves  the  thing  without  doubt  is,  that  fome  of 
the  Arabs,  particularly  Damir,  fay,  that  the  laphan, 
has  no  tail,  that  it  is  lefs  than  a  cat,  that  it  lives  in 
houfes  or  nets,  which  it  builds  of  draw,  in  contradif* 
tinflion  to  the  rabbit  and  rat,  and  thofe  other  animals 
that  burrow  in  the  ground.” 

This  animal  is  called  in  Arabia  and  Syria,  Ifrati's 
Jheep,  or  gannim  IJrad  :*  Qr,  according  to  Dr.  Shaw, 
who  likewife  fuppofes  it  to  intend  the  Japhan ,  IJrad* s 
lamb ,  or  daman  IJrad .  [See  Coney. 

ASP.  A  very  venomous  ferpent,  whofe  polfon  is 
fo  fubtle  as  to  kill  within  a  few  hours  with  an  univer- 
fal  gangrene.  Deut,  xxxii.  33.  Job  xx.  14,  16. 
[See  Adder.~\ 

I  take  the  opportunity  here  of  introducing  a  criti- 
cifm  of  Mr.  Merrick’s  upon  Pfal.  xci.  13.  I  hou  Jtialt 
tread  upon  the  lion  and  adder  :  The  young  lion  and  the  dra¬ 
gon  Jhalt  thou  trample  under  feet.  «  Bochart  obferves,+ 
that  the  mod  ancient  interpreters,  the  Septuagint,  the 
Vulgate,  St.  Jerom,  Apoliinaris,  the  Syriac,  Arabic, 
and  Ethiopic  verfions,  render  the  Hebrew  word 
(which  our  tranflators  have  rendered  lion )  the  afp. 
And  this  learned  critic  himfelf  thinks  it  probable 
that  the  Pfalmid,  throughout  this  verfe,  fpeaks  of  fer- 

pents 

*  Brqcc,  p.  143.  f  Hierof.  p.  2. 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


pents  only.  He  alfo  ob.ferves  that  Nicander  has  men-* 
tioned  a  fort  of  ferpent  by  the  name  of  Atoov  atoAof, 
the fpotted lion  :  And  that  the  word  tranflated  younglion , 
is,  in  other  places  of  fcripture,  rendered  by  the  Sep- 
tuagint  a  dragon .  (See  Job.  iv.  io.  and  xxxviii.  39.) 

He  likewile  takes  notice  of  the  name  XocpotiXeoov y  or 
ground  lion ,  given  to  an  animal  well  known.  The  late 
learned  Dr.  Shaw,  in  a  printed  fpecimen  of  a  natural 
hiflory  of  animals  which  he  once  (hewed  me,  conjec¬ 
tured  that  the  chameleon  was  fo  called  from  its  leap¬ 
ing  upon  its  prey  like  a  lion  :  And  it  is  not  impoih- 
ble  that  the  name  of  lion  might,  for  the  like  reafon,  be 
given  to  the  ferpent  mentioned  by  Nicander;  as  alfo 
to  the  lion  lizard,  which  is,  if  I  miftake  not,  mention¬ 
ed  by  Mr.  Catefby  in  his  natural  hiflory  of  South 
Carolina.  Bochart  himfelf,  in  the  former  part  of  his 
learned  work,  informs  us  that  the  chameleon  is  called 
alfo  by  more  than  one  of  the  Arabic  poets,  hakira ,  the 
lioritjs  ;  and  that  an  animal,  like  the  chameleon,  is  call¬ 
ed  in  their  language  Leo  Iphrin ,  from  the  place  where 
it  is  bred.* 

Were  this  fuppofition,  that  the  Pfalmifl  here  men¬ 
tions  ferpents  only,  well  eftablifhed,  the  tranflation  of 
the  whole  verfe  might  fland  thus 

**  Behold  the  afp,  whofe  boiling  veins 
Had  half  the  poifon  of  the  plains 
Imbib’d, before  thee  vanqui/h’d  lie. 

And  clofe  in  death  his  languid  eye  s 
Go,  fearlefs  on  the  dragon  tread, 

And  prefs  the  wrath  fwoln  adder's  head.** 

To  give  the  higheft  probability  to  the  accuracy  of 
this  tranflation,  it  need  only  be  remembered,  that  am - 

bulabis 

*l(  Leo  Iphrin  (fays  an  Arabic  lexicographer)  eft  animal  ut  chanr* 
rleon,  quod  equitem  invadit,  ct  cauda  fua  percutit*” 


32  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

bulabis  fuper  leonem  feems  quite  improper,  as  men  do 
not  in  walking  tread  on  lions,  as  they  do  on  ferpents* 

ASS,  An  animal  fomewhat  refemblins*  the  borfe 

O 

in  form  ;  different  however  in  having  long  flouching 
ears,  a  fhort  mane,  and  long  hairs  covering  only  the 
end  of  the  tail.  Its  body  is  covered  with  fhort  and 
coarfe  hair,  generally  of  a  pale  dun  colour,  with  a 
flreak  of  black  running  down  his  back,  and  acrofs  the 
fhoulders.  . 

In  his  natural  Rate  he  is  fleet,  fierce,  formidable, 

and  intractable.  But  when  domefticated  he  is  the  mod 
gentle  of  all  animals,  and  alfumes  a  patience  and 
fubmiffion  even  humbler  than  his  fituatiou.  He  is 
very  temperate  in  eating,  and  contents  himfelf  with 
the  refufe  of  the  vegetable  creation  :  But  asNto  drink 
he  is  extremely  delicate,  for  he  will  flake  his  third  at 
none  but  the  cleared  fountains  and  biooks. 

As  a  bead  of  burden  he  is  docile  and  very  fervice- 
able. 

Le  Clerc  obferves,  that  the  Ifraelites  having  but 
few  chariots,  were  not  allowed  to  keep  many  horles : 
Wherefore  the  mod  honourable  among  them  were 
wont  to  be  mounted  on  affes,  which  in  the  eaf- 
tern  countries  were  much  b>gger  and  more  beautiful 
than  they  are  with  us.  Deborah,  in  her  fong,  de- 
fcribes  thofe  of  the  greated  power  in  Ifrael  as  riding 
upon  white  affes.  Jud.  v.  iq«  Jair  of  Gilead  had 
thirty  fons  who  rode  on  as  many  affes,  and  command¬ 
ed  in  thirty  cities.  Jud.  x.  4.  Abdon’s  fons  and 
grandfons  rode  aifo  upon  affes.  Ibid,  xii.  4.  And 
Chrid  made  his  folemny  entry  into  Jerufalem  riding 


V,-.’ 


OF  THE  BIBLE* 


S3 


The  afs  was  declared  an  unclean  creature  by  the 
law,  and  no  one  was  permitted  to  tade  the  flefh  of 
it.  Levit.  xi.  26. 

To  draw  with  an  ox  and  afs  together  was  alfib 
prohibited.  Deut.  xxii.  10. 

By  the  wild  afs ,  Job  xxxix.  5.  8.  Pfa.  civ.  11.  and 
Jerem.  xiv.  6.  is  intended  the  onagav  of  the  ancients, 
which  is  called  koulan*  by  thofe  modern  nations  who 
have  the  bed  opportunities  of  being  acquainted 
with  it  :  It  is  of  the  fame  fpecies,  with  the  afs  which 
we  have  now  defcribed  ;  only  in  a  wild  date.  It  is 
taller  than  the  tame  afs  ;  its  legs  are  much  more  ele¬ 
gantly  fhaped  ;  and  it  bears  his  head  higher.  The 
colour  of  the  hair,  in  general,  is  a  filver  white.  The 
upper  part  of  the  face,  the  fides  of  the  neck,  and  the 
body,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  thighs,  are  flaxen  co¬ 
loured.  The  fore  part  of  the  body  is  divided  from 
the  flank  by  a  white  line,  extending  round  the  rump 
to  the  tail.  The  legs  and  the  belly  are  white.  A 
dripe  of  waved,  coffee  coloured,  bufhy  hair,  runs  a- 
long  the  top  of  the  back,  from  the  mane  to  the  tail* 
Another  ftripe,  of  the  fame  colour,  erodes  the  former 
at  the  fhoulders.  Two  beautiful  white  lines,  one  on 
each  fide,  bound  the  dorfal  band  and  the  mane.  In 
the  winter  the  hair  of  this  animal  is  foft,  dlky,  and 
waving  ;  It  bears  in  this  ftate  a  confiderable  relem- 
blance  to  the  hair  of  the  camel  ;  and  the  flaxen  co¬ 
lour  is  now  mod  exquifitely  bright.  In  fummer  the 
hair  is  very  fmooth,  hlky,  and  even  ;  but  certain  fhad- 
ed  rays  pointing  downwards,  mark  the  Tides  of  the 
neck. 

They  affociate  in  herds,  under  a  leader  ;  and  are 
very  diy. — They  inhabit  the  mountainous  and  defert 

parts 


*  Pennant’s  Hiil.  of  Qaad,  vol,  1.  8, 


34  The  NATURAL  HISTOR'Y 

parts  of  Tartary  and  Perfia,  &c.  Anciently  they 
were  likewile  found  in  Lycaonia,  Phrygia,  Mefopota- 
mia,  Silefia,  and  Arabia  deferta.* 

1  ney  are  remarkably  wild.  And  Job  defcribes  the 
liberty  they  enjoy  ;  the  place  of  their  retreat  ;  their 
manners,  and  wild,  impetuous,  and  untameable  fpiriu 

<(  l  Who  from  the  foreft  afs  his  colour  broke. 

And  man  u  mi  fed  his  fhoulder  from  the  yoke  ? 

Wild  tenant  of  the  wafte,  I  fent  him  there, 

Among  the  fhrubs,  to  breathe  in  freedom’s  air. 

Swift  as  an  arrow  in  his  fpeed  he  flies  j 
Sees  from  afar  the  fmoky  city  rife  $ 

Scorns  the  throng’d  ftreet,  where  flaverv  drags  her  load, 
he  loud  voiced  driver,  and  his  urging  goad  : 

Where’er  the  mountain  waves  its  lofty  wood, 

A  boundiefs  range,  he  feeks  his  verdant  food.” \ 

BADGER  SKINS.  The  Hebrew  word  thecafn 
which  we  tranflate  badger  Jkins9  following  thofe  who 
think  thacas  to  be  the  fame  with  the  Latin  wordtazwj, 
the  ancient  interpreters  take  for  a  colour.  And  Bo- 
chart  hath  at  large  endeavoured  to  prove  that  it  figni- 
iies  a  kind  of  violet  or  purple  colour. J  So  that  the 
animal  we  call  badger^  is  not  here  intended,  but  pro¬ 
bably  ram  fkins  painted  or  dyed. 

BALM.  The  refinous,  oily,  and  odorous,  fub- 
flance  which  diflils  from  the  balfam  tree  :  It  is  of  a 
light  yellowilh  colour  ;  c  an  acrid,  aromatic,  tafle. 
The  fmell  at  firft  is  violent  and  fhongly  pungent, 
giving  a  fenTation  to  the  brain,  like  to  that  of  volatile 
lalts  when  rafhly  drawn  up  by  an  incautious  perfon. 

This 

*  P!in«  Nat.  Hi  ft.  1.  viii.  c.  69.  -f  Scot’s  verflon  of  Job. 

$  Hieroz.  p.  i.  1.  3.  c.  30.  §  M.  Buffon  fays  that  the  badger  is 

not  to  be  found  in  Alla  or  Africa  :  And  Dr.  Shaw  declares  it  to  bs 
totally  unknown  in  Barbary, 


A 


ef  the  BIBLE, 

This  lads  in  proportion  to  its  frefhnefs  ;  but  by  expof- 
urc  to  the  open  air,  and  length  of  time,  it  may  be  loft, 

BALSAM  TREE.*  An  evergreen  fhrub,  or 
tree  ;  it  grows  to  about  fourteen  feet  high,  fpontane- 
oufly,  and  without  culture  in  its  native  country  A- 
zab,  and  all  along  the  coaft  to  the  (traits  of  Babelman- 
deb.  The  trunk  is  about  8  or  10  inches  in  diameter  ; 
the  wood  light  and  open,  gummy,  and  outwardly  of 
a  reddifh  colour — incapable  of  polifhing — and  cover¬ 
ed  with  fmooth  bark,  like  to  that  of  a  young  cherry 
tree.  It  flattens  at  top,  like  trees  that  are  expofed  to 
fnow  blalts  or  fea  air,  which  gives  it  a  Hunted  appear¬ 
ance.  It  is  remarkable  for  a  penury  of  leaves.  The 
flowers  are  like  thofe  of  the  acacia,  fmall  and  white, 
only  that  three  hang  upon  three  filaments,  or  ftalks, 
where  the  acacia  has  but  one.  Two  of  thefe  flowers 
fall  off,  and  leave  a  fingle  fruit  ;  the  branches  that 
bear  thefe  are  the  fhoots  of  the  prelent  year  ;  they  are 
of  a  reddifh  colour,  and  tougher  than  the  old  wood. 
After  the  bloffoms  follow  yellow,  fine  feented  feed  ; 
inclofed  in  a  reddifh  black  pulpy  nut,  very  fweet,  and 
containing  a  yellowifh  liquor  like  honey.  They  are 
bitterifh,  and  a  little  tart  upon  the  tongue,  of  the 
fame  fhape  and  bignefs  with  the  fruit  of  the  turpen¬ 
tine  tree,  thick  in  the  middle  and  pointed  at  the  ends. 

The  juice,  called  opoballamum,  flows  either  fpon- 
taneoufly,  or  by  means  of  incifion,  from  either  the 
tiunk,  or  branches  of  the  tree  in  the  fummer  time. 
At  firft  it  is  as  clear  as  water,  but  dire£tly  turns  ^yhit- 
ifh,  afterwards  green,  then  of  a  gold  colour. 

The  great  value  fet  upon  this  drug  in  the  Eafl  is 
traced  to  the  earlieft  ages. — The  Ifhmaelites,  or  Ara- 

.  bian 

Amyr}s  Gilsadenflsj  or  Opobalfamum. 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

bian  carriers  and  merchants,  trafficking  with  the  Ara¬ 
bian  commodities  into  Egypt,  brought  with  them 
balm  as  a  part  of  their  cargo.  Gen.  xxvii,  25.  xliii,  11. 

Strabo  alone,  of  all  the  ancients,  hath  given  us  the 
true  account  of  the  place  of  its  origin.  “  In  that 
moll  happy  land  of  the  Sabeans,*’  fays  he,  “  grow  the 
frankincenfe,  myrrh,  and  cinnamon  ;  and  in  the  coali 
that  is  about  Saba,  the  balfam  alfo.”  Among  the 
myrrh  trees  behind  Azab  all  along  the  coaft  is  its  na¬ 
tive  country.  We  need  not  doubt  that  it  was  early 
* 

tranfplanted  into  Arabia,  that  is,  into  the  fouth  part  of 
Arabia  Felix,  immediatly  fronting  Azab,  where  it  is 
indigenous.  The  high  country  of  Arabia  was  too 
coki  to  receive  it,  being  all  mountainous  ;  water  freez. 
es  there. 

The  firft  plantation  that  fucceeded  feems  to  have 
been  at  Petra,  the  ancient  metropolis  of  Arabia,  now 
called  Beder,  or  Beder  Huncin. 

Jofephus,  in  the  hiftory  of  the  antiquities  of  his 
country,  fays,*  that  a  tree  of  this  balfam  was  brought 
to  Jerufalem  by  the  Queen  of  Saba,  and  given  among 
other  prefents,  to  Solomon,  who,  as  we  know  from 
feripture,  was  very  fludious  of  all  forts  of  plants,  and 
fkilful  in  the  defeription  and  diftinflion  of  them. 
And  here,  indeed,  it  feems  to  have  been  cultivated 
and  to  have  thriven  :  So  that  the  place  of  its  origin, 
through  length  of  time,  combined  with  other  reafons, 
came  to  be  forgotten. 

Notwithftanding  the  pofitive  authority  of  Jofephus, 
and  the  great  probability  that  attends  it,  we  cannot  put 
it  in  competition  with  what  we  have  been  told  from 
feripture,  as  we  have  juft  now  feen  that  the  place 
where  it  grew  and  was  fold  to  merchants  was  Gilead 


*  I.ib,  v. 


in 


>i-s  *.v-  ' 

■ 

'  ■- 


o?.  the  B  I  B  L  E,  37 

in  Judea,  more  than  1730  years  before  Chriil,  or  icoo 
before  the  Queen  of  Saba  ;  fo  that  in  reading  the 
verfe  nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  it  had  been 
tranfplanted  into  Judea,  flourifhed,  and  had  become  an 
article  of  commerce  in  Gilead  long  before  the  period 
he  mentions  :*  A  company  of  IJhmaelitcs  came  from  Gil- 
tad  with  their  camels ,  bearing  fpicery ,  and  balm ,  and  myrrh , 
going  to  carry  it  doio?i  to  Egypt .  Gen.  xxxvii.  25.  Now 
the  fpicery,  or  pepper,  was  certainly  purchafed  by  the. 
Ifhmaelites  at  the  mouth  of  the  Red  Sea,  where  was 
the  market  for  Indian  goods,  and  at  the  fame  place 
they  muft  have  bought  the  myrrh,  for  that  neither 
grew  nor  grows  any  where  elfe  than  in  Saba  or  Aza- 
bo,  eaflof  Cape  Gardefan,  whore  were  the  ports  for 
India,  and  whence  it  was  difperfed  over  all  the 
world. 

I  heophraflus,  Diofcorides,  Pliny,  Solinus  and  Se- 
rapion,  all  fay  that  this  balfam  came  only  from  Judea* 
The  words  of  Pliny  are,  “  But  to  all  other  odours 
whatever  the  balfam  is  preferred,  produced  in  no  oth¬ 
er  part  but  the  land  of  Judea,  and  even  there  in  two 
gardens  only ;  both  of  them  belonging  to  the  King, 

one  no  more  than  twenty  acres,  the  other  ftill 
fmaller.”+ 

At  this  time,  I  fuppofe,  it  got  its  name  of  Balfamum 
Judaicum,  or  Balm  of  Gilead  ;  and  thence  became 

an  ' 

*  Though  in  reply  to  the  above  obfervations  of  Mr.  Bruce  we  mult 
recollect  that  Bochart  endeavours  to  prove  that,  in  Gen.  xxvii,  27. 
andxlm.11.  the  word  Jcr'i  fignifies  only  rofin  or  turpentine  :  And 
maintains  that  the  balm  was  unknown  in  Judea  before  the  time  of 
Solomon.  [Hieroz.  1.  4.  c.  ii.J  See  alfo  the  Samaritan  verfion, 
Munfter,  Pagninus,  Arias  Montanus,  Leon,  Judea,  Malvenda,  Ju¬ 
nius,  Urfinuf,  and  Ainfworth.  +  Nat.  Hitt.  lib.  22.  c.  25. 

D 


/ 


K&j  ■  I 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

an  article  in  merchandize  and  fifcal  revenue,  which 
probably  occafioned  the  difcouragement  of  bringing 
any  more  from  Arabia,  whence  it  was  very  probably 
prohibited  as  contraband.  We  {hall  fuppofe  thirty 
acres  planted  with  this  tree  would  have  produced 
more  than  all  the  trees  in  Arabia  do  at  this  day.  Nor 
does  the  plantation  of  Beder  Huncin  amount  to  much 
more  than  that  quantity,  for  we  are  ftill  to  obferve, 
that  even  when  it  had  been,  as  it  were,  naturalized  in 
Judea,  and  acquired  a  name  in  the  country,  dill  it 
bore  evident  marks  of  its  being  a  ftranger  there  ;  and 
its  being  confined  to  two  royal  gardens  alone  fhews 
it  was  maintained  thereby  force  and  culture,  and  was 
by  no  means  a  native  of  the  country.  And  this  is 
confirmed  by  Strabo,  who  fpeaks  of  it  as  being  in  the 
King’s  palace  and  garden,  at  Jericho.  This  place,  be¬ 
ing  one  of  the  warmed  in  Judea, indicates  their  appre- 
hendons  about  it. 

There  were  three  produ&ions  of  this  tree  very 

* _ 

much  edeemed  among  the  ancients.  The  fird  was 
called  opobalfamum,  or  juice  of  the  balfam,  which 
was  the  fined  kind,  compofed  of  that  greenifh  liquor 
found  in  the  kernel  of  the  fruit.  The  next  was  car- 
pobalfamum,  made  by  the  exprcflion  of  the  fruit  when 
in  maturity.  The  third  was  named  xylobalfamum  ; 
the  word  of  all ;  it  was  an  exprefiion,  or  deco&ion 
of  the  fmall  new  twigs. 

But  the  principal  quantity  of  balfam  in  all  times 
was  produced  by  incifion,  as  it  at  this  day.* 

At  prefent,  fays  Volney,+  there  is  not  a  plant  of  it 
remaining  at  Raha,  the  ancient  Jericho  i  but  another 
fpecies  isto  be  found  there  called  zakkouny  which  pro 


duces 


*  Bruce,  J  Travels,  p«  45?. 


\ 


of  the  BIBLE*  39 

duces  a  fweet  oil,  alio  celebrated  for  healing  wounds.  * 
This  zakkoun  refembles  a  plumb  tree;  it  has  thorns 
four  inches  long,  with  leaves  like  thofe  of  the  olive, 
but  narrower  and  greener,  and  prickly  at  the  end. 
Its  fruit  is  a  kind  of  acorn,  without  a  calyx,  under 
the  bark  of  which  is  a  pulp,  and  then  a  nut,  the  ker¬ 
nel  of  which  gives  an  oil  that  the  Arabs  fell  very 
dear. 

BARLEY.  A  well  known  kind  of  grain*  It 
deriveth  its  Hebrew  name  from  the  long  hairy  beard 
which  grows  upon  the  ear. 

In  Paleftine  the  barley  was  Town  about  Oflober, 
and  reaped  in  the  end  of  March,  juft  after  the  paflo- 
ver.  In  Egypt  the  barley  harveft  was  later  ;  for 
when  the  hail  fell  there,  a  few  days  before  the  pa  Ho¬ 
ver,  the  flax  and  the  barley  were  bruifed  and  deftroy- 
ed  ;  for  the  flax  was  at  its  full  growth,  and  the  bar¬ 
ley  began  to  form  its  green  ears  :  (Exod.  ix.  31.)  But 
the  wheat,  and  more  backward  grain,  were  not  dam¬ 
aged,  becaufe  they  were  only  in  the  blade,  and  the 
hail  bruifed  the  young  fhoots  which  produce  the  ears. 

The  Rabbins  fometimes  called  barley  the  food  of 
beafts,  becaufe  in  reality  they  fed  their  cattle  with 
it  ;  1  Kings,  iv.  28.  and  from  Homer,  and  other  an¬ 
cient  authors,  we  learn  that  barley  was  given  to 
horfes* 

The  Hebrews  frequently  ufed  barley  bread,  as  we 
fee  by  feveral  paffages  of  feripture  :  For  example, 
David's  friends  brought  to  him,  in  his  flight,  wheat, 
barley  flower,  &c.  2  Sam.  xvii,  28*  Solomon  fent 
wheat,  barley,  oil,  and  wine  to  the  f'ervants  King  Hi¬ 
ram 

*  Perhaps  the  oil  mentioned,  Mark  vi.  15.  Luke  x.  33.  and  Jamea 
**  14*  (T,  M.  H) 


ram  had  fupplied  him  with  in  order  to  carry  on  the 
works  at  Libanus.  2  Chron.  ii.  1$.  Elijah  had  a 
p  relent  made  him  of  twenty  barley  loaves,  and  corn  in 
the  hulk.  2  Kings,  iv.  42. 

The  jealoufy  offering,  in  the  Levitical  inflitution, 
was  to  be  of  barley  meal,  without  oil  or  frankincenfe, 
to  fignify  the  bafe  condition  of  one  who  had  given  oc- 
cafion  to  fufpefl  her  unchaftity,  and  that  the  offering 
merely  called  fin  to  remembrance.  Num.  v.  15. 

Sometimes  barley  is  put  for  a  low  contemptible  re¬ 
ward  or  price.  So  the  falfe  prophets  are  charged 
with  feducing  God’s  people  for  handfuls  of  bar¬ 
ley  and  morfels  of  bread.  Ezek.  xiii.  19.  Hofea 
bought  his  emblematic  bride  for  fifteen  pieces  of  Gi¬ 
ver,  and  an  homer  and  half  of  barley.  Hof.  iii.  2. 

BASILISK*  The  mod  poifonous  of  all  ferpents, 
wliich  is  faid  to  kill  with  its  very  breath.*  It  is 
tranfUted  cockatrice,  Prov.  xxiii.  32.  Ifai,  xi.  8.  xiv. 
29.  lix.  5.  Jer.  viii.  17. 

Mr.  Bruce  fuppofes  that  the  cerajies ,  or  horned  vi« 
per,  is  intended, 

BAT.  Called  by  Mofes  attaleph ,  and  by  tranfpoff 
ing  the  letters  Aphtalcl ,  which  fignifies  a  ford  of  dark - 
nefu  Levit.  xi.  19.  Deut.  xiv.  18. 

A  defcription  of  the  animal  is  unneceffary. 

BAY-TREE.  The  female  laurel.  A  genus  of  the 
tnneandria  monogynia  clafs  of  plants,  or  thofe  which 
have  nine  ftamina,  and  only  one  ftyle  in  the  flower. 
It  has  no  calyx,. but  the  corolla  confifts  of  fix  hollow, 
erefl,  and  oval  pointed  petals*  Its  fruit  is  a  drupe. 

of 


*  &oehar.t» 


op  the  BIBLE, 


4i 


of  an  oval  pointed  figure  ;  the  feed  a  nut,  and  its  ker¬ 
nel,  of  the  fame  fhape. 

This  tree  propagates  by  feed  in  moft  countries 
which  are  moderately  warm.  It  fpreads  wide  ;  and 
hath  a  mo  ft.  beautiful  flourifh,  Unlefs  the  winter  be 
fevere  it  retains  its  verdure  throu 
quickly  grows  old  and  decays. 

It  is  mentioned 'Only  in  Pfal.  xxxvii.  35,  36.  I 
have  f§en  the  ungodly  in  great  power,  and  (lourijhing  like  a 
green  bay  tree .  Yet  he  pajfed  away,  and  j  lo  !  He  was  not : 
Yea ,  I  fought  him,  but  he  could  not  bejoundJ 

The  feptuagint  and  vulgate  render  it  cedars  :  But 
the  High  Dutch  of  Luther’s  Bible,  the  old  Saxon, 
and  Ifland  tranflation,  the  French,  Spanifh,  the  Ital¬ 
ian  of  Diodati,  and  the  verfion  of  Ainfworth,  retain 
the  word  laurel*  And,  as  the  feme  of  the  text  is  fuf- 
ficientlv  am wered  by  this,  we  are  unwilling  to  ex¬ 
clude  that  noble  plant  from  the  honor  of  having  its 
name  in  fcripture.  The  word  JlouriJhing  is  alfo  more 
applicable  to  the  laurel,  which,  in  its  profperity,  a- 
bounds  in  pleafant  flowers. 

A  ftmilar  metaphor  to  the  Pfalmift’s  is  ufed  by 
Shakefpeare  in  defcribing  the  uncertainty  of  human 


gh  the  year  :  But  it 


happinefs,  and  the  end  of  human  ambition. 


- -  1 u  Such  is  the  ftate  of  man  ! 

To  day  he  puts  forth  tender  leaves  of  hope  ; 

Tomorrow  blofToms, 

And  bears  his  blu/hiug  honors  thick  upon  him  ; 

The  third  day  comes  a  froft,  a  killing  froft. 

And,  when  he  thinks,  good  eafy  man,  full  furtly 
His  greatnefs  is  a  ripening,  nips  his  root, 

And  then  he  falls,  never  to  hope  again.’* 

BDELLIUM.  [Heb.  bedolach .J  Interpreters feem 
at  a  lofs  what  to  do  with  this  word,  and  have  render- 

D  2 


42 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


ed  it  varioufly.*  But  the  mod  probable  opinion  is 
that  it  means  pearls.  The  place  of  the  book  of  Num¬ 
bers  [xi.  7.]  which  is  wont  to  be  quoted  in  defence 
of  this  interpretation,  feems  to  be  fo  plain  and  deci- 
iive,  that  no  good  exception  can  be  made  againft  it. 
For  Mofes,  intending  to  defcribe  Manna,  fays  its 
colour  was  as  that  of  bedolack  :  Now,  from  another 
defcription  [Exod.  xvi.  14,  and  31.]  it  is  evident  that 
it  was  white.  Hence  it  is  that  the  Talmudifts,  as  Bo- 
chart  learnedly  oblerves  and  defends,  mentioning  this 
defcription  of  manna,  fay  it  was  of  the  colour  of 
"pear  Is.  t 

BEAR.  A  fierce  bead  of  prey  ;  with  a  long  head, 
fmall  eyes,  and  fhort  ears  rounded  at  the  top.  Its 
limbs  are  Urong,  thick,  and  clumfy.  Its  feet  are 
large  ,  and  its  tail  is  very  fiiGrt.  The  colour  of  the 
animal  is  black  or  brown.  Its  body  is  covered  with 
long,  fhaggy,  hair  ;  and  this  la-ft  circumfiance  feems 
alluded  to  in  its  Hebrew  name,  dob, 

BEASTS.  When  oppofed  to  man  (as  PfaL 
xxxvi.  5.)  any  brute  creature  is  fignified  :  When  op¬ 
pofed  to  creeping  things  (as  Levit.  xi.  2,  7.  xxix.  30) 
four  footed  land  animals,  from  the  fize  of  the  harej 
and  upwards,  are  fignified  :  When  oppofed  to  wild 
beads  of  the  earth  (as  Gen.  i,  cattle,  or  tame  ani¬ 
mals,  arc  fpoken  of,  WILD  BE/iSTo9 

*  There  is  a  gum,  brought  from  Arabia  and  the  Eafl  Indies, 
which  is  called  bdellium.  It  is  of  a  dark,  reddiffu  brown,  colour  :  And 
ia  appearance  fomewhat  refemble3  myrrh.  Ce.fius,  who  thinks  this 
to  be  the  bedolacb  of  fcripture  [Hierobrt.  p.  1.  pag.  334]  lays  that  it 
Bows  from  a  tree  of  about  the  b'gnefs  of  an  olive. 

f  It  is  faid  that  great  plenty,  of  pearls  are  fifhed,  not  far  from  the 
.mouth  of  the  Pifon,  in  the  Perfian  Gulph.  Keeping  in  mind  Gen. 
ij.  12,  this  will  help  to  confirm  our  interpretation. 

J  The  moufe,  weaftl,  and  ferret  are  reckoned  amongfi:  creep 
things,  Levit.  xi.  29,  39. 


of  the  B  I  B  L  E.  43 

WILD  BEASTS ,  Ifai.  xiii,  21.  In  the  opinion  of: 
Bochart  *  wild-cats  are  intended.  See  alfo  the  new 
translation  of  Ifaiah,f  and  Blaney  on  Jeremiah  1.  39. 
The  feptuagint  has  Bygia,  and  Bifhop  Lovvth  the  wild 
beajls  of  the  defarts •  M.  Majus  confirms  the  opinion  of 
Bochart, 

BEE.  A  well  known,  Small,  induftrious,  infefl,, 
whofe  little  republic  has  at  all  times  gained  univerSal 
efteem  and  admiration ;  and  whofe  form,  propagation, 
economy,  and  hngular  inftinSl  and  ingenuity  have  at¬ 
tracted  the  attention  of  the  moft  ingenious  and  labori¬ 
ous  enquirers  into  nature.  J  To  the  toil  and  indus¬ 
try  of  this  admirable  infeCl  we  are  indebted  for  one 
of  the  moft  agreeable  and  wholefome  Subfiances  af- 
forded  by  nature.  From  the  neClareous  effluvia  of 
Sowers  it  collefts  its  rofcid  honey.  Were  it  not  for 
the  bee  thefe  Sweets  would  be  loft  in  the  defert  air,” 
or  decline  with  the  fading  blofTom.  ["See  Honey „ 

BEETLE.  [Heb.  chargoL~\  Levit.xi.  22.  A  Spe¬ 
cies  of  the  locuft  is  here  Spoken  of.  The  name  is 
taken,  perhaps,  from  an  Arabic  original,  alluding  to 
the  vaft  extent  of  their  Swarms.  § 

BEHEMOTH.  This  name  fignifies  the  beafthy 
way  of  eminence,  or  the  greateji  among  beajls •  The 
Elephant  and  the  River-horfe  ||  lay  claim  to  it,  and 
to  the  honor  of  being  the  original  of  the  grand  de- 
fcription  in  Job,  chap.  xL  from  the  16th  verSe  to  the 
end.  Several 

*  Hieroz.  p.  1.  1.  3.  c.  12,  and  14.  -f*  By  a  Layman.  8  v.Lon.  1750. 

t  Virgil  has  written  an  elegant  eulogy  and  pleating  account  of  bees 
in  his  fourth  Georgic. 

§  Bochart,  and  Taylor’s  Heb.  Concordance,  No.  673. 

II  Hippopotamus.  This  opinion  Bochart,  Dure!!,  Heaths  and  Some 
others  efpoufe, 


44  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

Several  characters  in  the  defcription  of  the  behemoth 
by  no  means  agree  with  the  Hippopotamus,  whereas 
all  of  them,  if  I  miftake  not,  are  applicable  to  the 
elephant,* 

To  fhew  that  the  fize,  (Length,  and  manners  of 
this  laft  animal,  are  evidently  alluded  to  as  well  a«s 
beautifully  deferibed  by  that  fublime  writer,  I  (hall 
tranlcribe  his  defcription,  and  accompany  it  with  the 
remarks  of  Mr.  Scott,  +  who  has  followed  Schultens. 

Behold  noto  behemoth,  which  I  made  with  thee\\  He 
tatetk  grajs  as  an  ox . 

The  expreffion,  he  eateth  grajs ,  feems  to  imply  that 
grafs  is  his  conftant  food  ;  and  the  wonder  is,  how  a 
creature  of  fueh  enormous  bulk  can  be  fupported  by 
a  mere  vegetable  diet.  The  fimile,  as  an  ox,  naturally 
leads  one  to  fuppofe  fome  analogy  in  the  form  of  the 
behemoth  to  that  of  the  ox.  Accordingly  the  Romans 
called  it  bos  luca ,  the  Lucanian  beeve ;  Lucania  being 
that  part  of  Italy  into  which  Pyrrhus,  in  his  war  with 
the  Romans  b  ought  them,  and  where  the  Romans  fir  ft 
faw  this  creature.  The  elephant  is  known  to  be  of  the 
grazing  kind.  But  the  ufual  food  of  the  river  horfe 
is  fifh  ;  though  he  will  fometimes  (teal  out  of  the  riv¬ 
er  in  the  night  into  the  neighbouring  fields  of  corn, 
and  devour  a  vaft  quantity.  The  river  horfe  is  car¬ 
nivorous  and  a  bead  of  prey,  the  elephant  is  not.§ 

Lo  new,  his  ftrength  is  in  his  loins ,  and  hit  force  in  the 

navel  oj  his  belly, \\  He 

*  Calvin,  Franzius,  Junius,  Bruce.,  and  others,  fuppofe  the  behfm 
moth  to  intend  the  elephant. 

See  his  poetical  verfion  of  the  book  of  Job.— But  the  emen¬ 
dations  of  the  text  in  our  Englifo  verfion,  which  I  mention  in  the 
notes,  are  from  Dr.  Durell,  and  others. 

JThatis near  thee,  viz.  bordering  upon  Arabia  thy  country. 

§  Schultens  Comment  in  hoc, 

1|  “In  the  ligaments  of  his  belly.”  Heath. 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


45 


Be  moueth  his  tail  like  a  cedar  ;  the  firxws  of  his  thighs* 
Are  wrapped  together . 

Even  thefe  verfes,  which  refer  to  his  generative 
capacity  and  vigour,  correfpond  better  to  the  elephant 
than  Hippopotamus, 

His  bones  areas  Jlrong pieces  of  bra/s  :  his  bones  are  like 
bars  of  ironA 

The  defeription  feems  too  ftrong  for  the  river  horfe  • 
whofe  teeth  indeed  are  remarkably  hard,  as  are  like- 
wife  thofe  of  the  elephant ;  but  the  former  cannot 
enter  into  competition  with  the  latter  for  the  large- 
nefs,  and  iron  like  flrength,  of  his  ribs,  lpine,  and 
thigh  bones? 

Be  is  the  chief  of  the  ways  of  God  :  J  He  that  made  him 
can  make  his  fword  to  approach  unto  him.  § 

He  is  the  chief ,  &c.  that  is,  the  chief  of  all  the  beads 
which  God  hath  made.  The  grandeur  of  the  el¬ 
ephant  and  his  mental  endowments  give  him  furely 
this  chara&er  of  preeminence. 

He  that  made  him ,  &c.  “furnifhed  him  with  tufks.^j) 
The  river  horfe  has  two  tufks  with  which  he  cuts  the 
corn,  when  he  chufes  that  diet.  But  the  elephant 
has  alfo  two  teeth,  much  larger,  which  projett  from 

his 

*  (l  Thighs.”  Bochart  has  proved  that  this  is  the  figrciHcation  of 
the  word  here  ufed.  There  is  not  fufficient  warrant  for  our  Englifh 
verfion  of  this  word.  Scott.  Durell. 

t  Rather,  ft  his  fmall  bones  are  as  Ihrong  peices  of  brafs  :  His 
large  bones  like  bars  of  iron.”  Durell. 

Mr.  Heath’s  trarfflatLon  is,  “his  bones  are  like  brazen  pipes 
his  back  bone  is  like  a  bar  of  iron.” 

|  “  He  is  among  the  chief  of  Go  d’s  productions.”  Durell. 

§  Rather,  l<  his  maker  prefented  him  with  his.  tooth.”  Bochart. 
Durell. 

11  The  word  in  our  tranflation  reno’ered  to  approach,  fignifies,  to  in* 
f’rt,  to  make f aft  by  infer tion.  See  2  Sam.  Hi .  34,  T by  hands  WM 
not  bound ,  nor  thy  feet  put  into  fetters * 


46  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


his  jaws,  are  fhaped  like  a  fickle,  and  which  Nonnus, 
in  his  defcription  of  this  animal,  calls  a  Jharp  j word . 
With  thefe  the  elephant  defends  himfelf  when  attack¬ 
ed  by  any  other  bead. 

Surely  the  mountains  bring  him  forth  food :  Where  all  the 
beajis  of  the  field  play .  Three  characters  of  the  behe¬ 
moth  are  mentioned  here.  (1.)  He  frequents  the 
mountains.  This  is  fo  true  of  the  elephant,  that  one 
fort  are  called  mountaineers.  (2.)  The  mountains 
fupply  him  with  food.  The  elephant  lives  there  up¬ 
on  grafs,  plants,  and  tender  branches  of  trees  which 
he  breaks  off  with  his  trunk.  (3.)  He  is  a  gentle  and 
fociable  animal.  The  elephant  will  graze  freely  with 
other  animals,  whether  wild  or  tame.  Among  the 
latter,  if  they  are  near  enough  to  be  hurt  by  his  hid¬ 
den  movement,  he  puts  them  gently  by  with  his 
probofeis.  None  of  thefe  charaClers  fuit  the  riv¬ 
er  horfe  ;  who  is  a  folitary  creature,  never  goes  far 
from  the  river,  and  leaves  it  only  in  the  night;  who 
has  no  mountains  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  fre¬ 
quented  by  wild  beads,*  to  refort  to,  were  he  inclin¬ 
ed  to  vi  fit  fuch  eminences  5  and  who  is  of  a  favage 
nature,  and  carnivorous. 

He  lievth  under  the  Jhady  trees ,  in  the  cove?t  of  the  reeds, 
and  fens . 

The  Jhady  trees'f  cover  him  with  their  Jhaaow :  The  wil¬ 
lows  of  the  brook  compafs  him  about • 

Thefe 

*  Beafh  cf  prey  are  very  rare  in  Egypt.  Bp.  Pocoke  mentions 
only  a  few  Ahemas  [probably  he  means  hycenas]  which  haunt  the 
deferts  near  Alexandria.  Defcrip.  of  the  E  a  ft,  v.  1.  p.  *07.  More¬ 
over  the  mountains  on  each  fide  the  Nile  are  barrea  rocks.  Sandy's 
travels,  p.  c.2. 

"f  “  Shady  trees.”  Schultens  fays  that  the  word  in  the  original 
«S  Arabic,  and  the  name  of  the  lotus  tree .  He  adds,  the  lotus  tree 

grows.,. ' 


cp  the  BIBLE* 


47 

Ihefe  verfes  defcribe  the  behemoth’s  places  of  fhe  1- 
tei-  and  repofe.  If  the  vegetables  here  mentioned  did 
necefiarily  mean  fuch  as  grow  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nile,  the  river  horfe  might  juftly  lay  claim  to  this 
part  of  the  defcription.  But  they  fignify  in  general 
marfh  plants,  as  reeds,  tamarifks,  and  others,  that 
grow  in  fens,  and  by  the  Tides  of  lakes  and  torrents 
in  thofe  countries.  The  elephant  is  called  by  yElian 
the  fen  animal ,  becaufe  he  is  fond  of  retiring  to  marfhy 
places  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  to  cool  his  body  in  the 
ooze.  He  loves  the  banks  of  rivers,  and  Banding  wa¬ 
ters  in  the  fandy  deferts. 

He  lieth. ,  &c.  It  is  objefled  to  the  elephant  that  he 
never  lies  down.  But  our  author’s  word  denotes  a 
(leeping  or  refling poflure.*  The  elephant’s  is  kneeling. 
Bochart  allows  this.  After  all  it  is  certain  that  they 

^ie  down,  and  rife  again,  at  their  pleafure,  as  other 
beafts  do.t 

Beheld  he  dnnketh  up  a  ri  ver  and  hajleth  not ;  he  trafleth 
that  he  can  draw  up  Jordan  into  his  mouth . 

What  is  here  faid  Teems  intended  to  convey  a  fub- 
ime  idea  of  the  lofty  flatu re,  great  force,  and  intrepid¬ 
ly  of  the  behemoth. 

There 

;rows  plentifully  in  the  Cyreniaca  (now  the  kingdom  of  Barca)  the 
ountryof  e.epbants.  It  is  a  tail,  prickly,  tree. 

*  It  is  ufad  o ijteepingy  without  any  reference  to  the  pofture,  in 

rov.  xxiv.  33.  The  Syriac  teftament  ufes  the  fame  word  in  John 
it. 

f  V/e  are  aftured  of  this  faft  by  Sir  T.  Roe’s  chaplain  in 
16  Eaft  Indies.  See  'his  voyage  to  Eaft  India,  publi/hed  a- 
ng  with  Delia  Valle’s  travels,  p.  381.  Yfbrants  Ides  attefts  the 

me  in  his  travels,  p.  So.  As  alfo  does  Mr.  Bell  in  hi>,  vol.  2. 
ige  26, 


48  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

“  Behold  a  river  overfloweth,#  yet  he  makethnot  hade 
Although  Jordan  break  forth  againft  his  mouth,  his  is  in  fecurity.” 

We  may  remark  on  this  pafFage  (i.)  that  the  com¬ 
mon  height  of  the  elephant  is  ten  feet  and  an  half* 
There  were  fame  in  the  (tables  of  Cofroes,  King  of 
Perfia,  twelve  cubits  high.J  A  credible  traveller^ 
allures  us  that  in  Indoftan  he  had  feen  fome  which 
he  conceived  at  lead  to  be  twelve  feet  high,  and  was 
informed  that  there  were  others  fourteen  or  fifteen 
feet  in  height.— -The  elephant  therefore  can  ford  molt 
rivers.  (2.)  He  will  walk  with  great  compofure 
through  deep  and  rapid  ftreams,  provided  he  can  car¬ 
ry  his  trunk,  through  which  he  draws  in  frefh  air, 
above  water.jj  (3.)  The  Jordan  is  here  mentioned, 
not  as  frequented  by  elephants,  but  only  as  put  for  any 
deep  and  violent  river  :  For  fuch  the  Jordan  is  in 
the  time  of  its  overflowing.  This  river  is  inftanced 
rather  than  any  other  as  being  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Job’s  country,  and  therefore  well  known  to  him. 
Laftly,  This  part  of  the  defeription  will  appear  trif¬ 
ling  if  applied  to  the  river  horfe.  ^  For  where  is  the 

wonder 

#  The  original  implies  opprsjjetb ,  doeth  wrong  by  •violence .  By  a 
grand  metaphor  this  is  applied  to  a  river,  which  breaks  over  its  banks 
and  deftreys  the  neighbouring  fields.  The  Arabians  affociated  thefe 
ideas,  wjujlice,  and  inundation .  For  the  word  which  in  their  lan¬ 
guage  fignifies  to  opprefs,  is  alfo  ufed  of  the  overflowing  ef  a  river , 
S  cbultens.  The  Septuagint  alfo  render  it  in  this  manner. 

+  Maketb  bafle.  The  word,  in  the  Hebrew  ufe  of  it,  fays  Schultens, 
denotes  to  make  bafle ,  or  to  be  in  a  burry  through  fear.— Dr.  Durell 
thus  tranflates  the  paflage,  “  behold  a  river  rifeth  violently  upon  him, 
yet  he  runneth  not  away  through  fear.  He  is  unconcerned  though 
it  flow  up  to  his  mouth. 

%  Bochait  ;  Hieroz.  p.  1.  271.  §  Sir  T.  Roe’s  Chaplain. 

j|  The  Elephants  delight  much  to  bathe  themfelves  in  water  ;  in 
which,  if  they  find  depth  enough,  they  fwim  as  well  as  any  other 
creature.  Voyage  to  the  Eaft,  by  Sir  T.  Roe’s  Chaplain,  p.  3$i« 


t 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


wonder  that  a  native  of  the  Nile  (compared  to  which 
the  Jordan  is  a  brook)  which  flems  that  river  in  its 
mod  furious  rapidity,  fhould  not  fhrink  at  fwimming 
or  walking  through  any  other  much  fmaller  body  of 
water  ? 

He  taketh  it  zvith  his  eyes ;  his  nofe  p  tercet  h  through 
friar  es .* 

Job  is  here  called  upon, in  the  mod  humiliating  irony, 
to  try  his  courage  on  this  huge  and  powerful  creature, 
to  take  him  by  open  force,  and  guide  him  when  tak¬ 
en  with  a  cord,  as  he  ufed  to  manage  his  camels. 

Let  a  man  take  him  openly,]- 
Let  him  draw];  a  cord§  through  his  nofe.” 

The  fecond  fentence  alludes,  I  imagine,  to  the  hair 
noofe ,  or  ring ,  which  the  Arabs  put  through  the  nofe 
of  their  camels  ;  and  by  which,  a  line  being  fattened 
to  it,  they  bring  them  to  their  beck.|| 

With  Mr.  Scott’s  poetical  verfion  of  Job’s  defcrip- 
tion  of  this  animal,  I  fhall  conclude  the  article. 

Benold  my  behemoth  his  bulk  uprear. 

Made  by  thy  maker,  grazing  like  a  fieer. 

I  What  fttength  is  feated  in  each  brawny  loin  ! 
j  V/hat  mufcles  brace  his  amplitude  of  groin  ! 

Huge  like  a  cedar  fee  his  tail  arife  j 

Large  nerves  their  mefhes  weave  about  his  thighs  : 

His 


*  Our  tranflators  feem  not  to  have  underftood  this  paflage.  At 
leaft  they  ex  prefled  their  idea  very  obfcurely.  Dr.  Durell’s  verfion, 
though  not  adequate,  conveys  a  much  more  intelligible  opinion  : 

feize  him  in  a  trap  [or  ginj  by  his  eyes  or  vifage  ;  yet  his  nofe 
forceth  itielf  through  the  fnares.” 

f  a  In  oculis  ejus,”  i.  e.  aperte,  non  ex  infidiis.  Schultens. 

J  Let  him  perforate ,  or  pierce  through . 

§  By  an  eafy  figure  the  word  fnare  might  come  to  be  ufed  for 
cor^s*  tiie  materials  of  which  fnares  are  made.  Bath  the  Sepxtuagint 
and  Symmachufc  read  the  word  in  the  fingular  number.  The  former 
tranfiates  u  let  a  twifted  line  bore  [perforate]  his  nofe.”  But  the 
latter  “  let  his  nofe.” 


il  Hamafa,  p.  325.  n. 

E 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


His  ribs  are  channels  of  unwelding  brafs, 

His  chine  a  bar  of  iron’s  harden’d  mafs: 

Tvly  f'.  vereign  woik  j  prime  of  thebeflUl  kini 
In  power  of  body,  and  in  gifts  of  mind, 

I  with  a  tuiky  falchion  arm’d  his  jaw, 

His  foe  to  humble,  and  the  defert  awe : 

In  peaceful  majefty  of  might  he  goes, 

And  on  the  mountain  tops  his  forage  mows : 

Where  heads  of  every  favage  name  refort, 

And  in  wild  gambols  round  his  greatnefs  fport. 

In  moory  vales,  befide  the  reedy  poois, 

Deep  plung’d  in  ooze  his  glowing  flanks  he  cools  s 
Or  in  umbrageous  groves  enjoys  repofe, 

Or  bower’d  in  willows  where  the  torrent  flows* 

Not  fweliing  rivers  can  his  heart  difrr.ay, 

He  (talks  fecure  long  the  watery  way  : 

Should  Jordan  heap  its  overflowing  waves 
Againfi:  his  mouth,  the  foaming  flood  he  braves. 

Go  now,  thy  courage  on  this  creature  try, 

Dare  the  bold  duel,  meet  his  open  eye  : 

Sublime  on  thy  gigantic  captive  ride, 

And  with  a  (lender  ftring  his  vaftnefs  guide,” 

[See  Elephant, ] 

BER.YL.  A  pellucid  gem  of  a  fea,  or  bluifli  green 
colour.  From  this  it  feems  to  have  obtained  its  He- 
brew  name. 

It  was  the  tenth  ftonc  in  the  high  Pneft  s  pe&oral, 
Exod.  xxviii.  10.  and  the  eighth  in  the  foundation  of 

the  new  Jerufalem. 

BITTERN.  A  fmgular  bird,  about  the  fize  of  the 
common  heron,  and  of  the  fame  generical  charaders  : 
But  very  different  in  manners,  appetites,  and  colour¬ 
ing.  The  crown  of  the  head  is  black,  and  there  is  al- 
j0  a  black  fpot  on  each  fide  about  the  angle  of  the 
mouth  :  The  back,  and  upper  part,  are  elegantly  varie¬ 
gated  with  black,  brown,  and  grey,  in  a  beautiful  ar- 

,  xangement. 


This 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


5* 


This  fpecies'  is  very  common  in  fen-countries,  but 
not  fo  elfewhere  ;  for  it  is  a  very  retired  bird,  con¬ 
cealing  itfelf  in  the  midlt  of  the  reeds  and  fedge  in 
marfhy  places.  Its  ufual  pofture  is  with  the  head 
and  neck  ereft,  and  the  beak  pointed  dire&ly  up¬ 
wards!  It  will  fuffer  perfons  to  come  very  near  it 
without  rifing  ;  and,  as  it  is  with  difficulty  provoked 
to  flight,  and  has  a  dull  and  flagging  motion  when  on 
the  wing,  is  frequently  made  the  prey  of  the  fowler. 
Towards  the  end  of  autumn,  however,  it  feems  to 
Lave  fhook  off  its  wonted  indolence,  and  is  feen  ril¬ 
ing  in  a  fpirai  afcent  till  it  is  quite  loft  from  the  view, 
making  at  the  fame  time  a  very  fingular  noife.  Thus 
it  often  happens  that  the  fame  animal  affumes  differ¬ 
ent  defires  at  different  times  ;  and  though  the  Greeks 
thought  the  bittern  merited  the  epithet  of  lazy,  it  ac¬ 
quired  the  name  of  ftar  reaching  bird  among  the 
Latins.* 

Ifaiah  xiv.  23,  prophefying  the  deftrufhon  of  Ba¬ 
bylon,  fays,  that  the  Lord  will  make  it  a  pojfejjion  j or  the 
bittern ,  and  pools  of  water;  and  Zephaniah  ii.  14.  pro¬ 
phefying  againfl  Nineveh,  lays  that  the  cormorant  and 
bittern  /hall  lodge  in  the  upper  lutels  of  it;  their  voice  JhalL 
fing  in  the  windows. 

Dr.  Lewth,  and  the  new  tranflation  of  Ifaiah,  fol¬ 
lowing  Bocbart*  1  think  improperly  render  it  the  por¬ 
cupine.  I  fee  no  propriety  in  ranking  that  animal  with 
the  cormorant,  the  raven,  and  the  owl  ;+  but  the  bit- 
tern ,  which  is  a  retired  bird,  is  more  likely  to  be 
found  in  their  company  in  the  fame  wilds  and  fens. 
Befides,  the  hedgehog  is  not  an  aquatic  animal — and 

pools 

*  And  it  is  ftill  called  ardea  Jiellaris  by  Ornithologies, 

•f  See  the  above  ei ted  paflages,  and  Ifai.  ixxiy,  ii. 


52  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

pools  oj  water  are  pointed  out  as  the  retreat  of  thofc 

here  mentioned.  Neither  has  it  any  note,  that  I 

know  of ;  yet  of  the  animals  here  mentioned  it  is  faid 
& 

their  voice  jhall  fmg  in  the  windows .* 

BITUMEN.  A  fat,  combuflible,  oily  matter; 
fometimes  called  ajphaltos  from  the  lake  AJphaltites 
[lake  of  Sodom]  or  dead  fea,  in  Judea,  on  the  furface 
of  which  it  rifes  in  the  nature  of  liquid  pitch,  and 
floats  like  other  oleaginous  bodies  ;  but  is  condenfed 
by  degrees  through  the  heat  of  the  fun,  and  grows 
dry  and  hard. 

The  word  which  our  tranllators  have  rendered  Jlime , 
Gen.  xi.  3.  and  xiv.  10.  is  generally  fuppofed  to  be 
bitumen. f  It  is  known  that  the  plain  of  Shinar  did 
abound  with  it  both  in  its  liquid  and  folid  Rate :  J 
That  there  was  there  a  cave  and  fountain  which  was 
continually  calling  it  out,  and  that  the  famous  tower, 
and  no  lefs  famous  walls  of  Babylon  were  built  by 
this  kind  of  cement,  is  confirmed  by  the  ieftimony  of 
ieveral  ancient  authors. §  Modern  travellers  inform 

us 

*  Interpreters  have  rendered  it  varioufly  :  An  cwlt  an  cfpray,  a 
fertoije ,  and  even  a  beaver* 

“t  And  fo  Should  it  have  been  rendered,  Exod.  i,  14.  ii.  3. 

X  Thus  Strabo  tells  us,  u  In  Babylonia  bitumen  multum  nafeitur, 
cujus  duplex  eh:  genus,  authore  Eraftothene,  liquid  urn  et  aridutn.  Li - 
quidum  vocant  naptbam ,  in  Sufiano  agro  nafeensj  aridum  \t ro  quod 
etiam  congelefcere  poteft  in  Babylonia  fonte  prepinguo  napthse.’* 
Jib.  xvi. 

§  Diofcorides,  1.  i.c.  100.  Thus  Juftin,  1.  1,  fpeaking  of  Semira- 
mis,  fays,  “  Haec  Babyloniam  condidit,  murumque  urbis  co€to  latere 
circumdedit,  arena  vice  bitumine  interftrato,  quae  materia  in  illis  locis 
pafiim  e  terris  exseftuat.”  Vitruvius  alfo  fays,  ct  Babylonia,  locus  eft 
ampliflima  magnitudine,  habens  fupranatans  liquidum  bitumen,  et 

latere 


us  that  thefe  fprings  of  bitumen  are  called  oyum  hit , 
<  the  fountains  of  hit  and  that  they  are  much  celebrat¬ 
ed  and  ufed  by  the  Perfians  and  Arabs. 

The  /lime  pits  of  Siddim,  Gen.  xiv.  10.  were  holes 
out  of  which  iffued  this  liquid  bitumen,  or  naptha. 

Bitumen  was  formerly  much  ufed  by  the  Egyptians 
and  Jews,  in  embalming  the  bodies  of  their  dead.* 

BRAMBLE.  A  prickly  fhrub.  The  rafpberry 
bufh.  Jud,  ix,  14,  15.  Pfal.  lviii.  9.  * 

BRASS.  Job  xxviii.  mi  Copper  is  known  to  be 
the  original  metal,  and  fuled  with  lapis  calrninaris  re¬ 
ceives  the  hardnefsand  yellownefs  of  fubflance  which 
is  denominated  brafs.  It  is  found  in  glebes,  or  (tones, 
of  various  forms  and  colours,  which  are  fir  ft  beaten 
fmall,  and  then  wafhed  to  feparate  them  from  the  ad*" 
mixture  of  earthy  parts  ;  after  which  they  are  (melted, 
and  the  melted  matter. call  into  moulds.  To  render 
it  more  pure  an.d  beautiful  they  melt  it  again  once  or 
twice.  We  are  indebted  to  the  German  metallurgies 
of  the  thirteenth  century  for  the  art  of  making  brafs. 
That  the  ancients  knew  not  the  ait  of  making  it  is 
almoft  certain.  None  of  their  writings  even  hiqt 
at  the  procefs. 


BULL.  The  fpecific  name  of  all  thefe  cattle,  tame 
or  wild,  of  which  the  male  is  denominated,  among  us, 
in  common  language,  bull ,  the  female  cozu. 

E  a  This 


latere  teftaeeo  llru&um  murum  Semiramis  Babylon!  dreu-mdedit.” 
Jib.  viii.  Se?  alio  Strabo,  lib.  xvi.  j\ riftot .  de  mirab.  torn,  1,  p, 
1 1 t>3^edj t  du.  Val.  fob  Paris,  1619.  Plin.  Nat,  Hift.  I.  2.  c.  106. 
§  103.  1.  28.  c  7.  §  23. 


*  Greenh  ill’s  art  of  embalming. 

i  ^  ^-'ngs  xviii.  4.  N eh ujt an  i.  e.  a  bit  oj  bia.fi,  Jetcm.  xy, 
Jeely  Aio.uld  bav;  bceiMraalLted  hafs% 


54  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

This  animal  was  reputed  by  the  Hebrews  to  be 
clean,  and  was  generally  made  ufe  of  by  them  for  fa- 
crifices.  The  Egyptians  had  a  particular  veneration 
for  it,  and  paid  divine  honors  to  it.  And  the  Jews 
imitated  them  in  their  worfhip  of  the  golden  calves, 
or  bulls,  in  the  wildernefs,  and  in  the  kingdom  of  If- 
rael.  See  Calf. 

In  a  figurative  and  allegorical  fenfe  it  is  taken  for 
powerful,  fierce,  and  infolent,  enemies.  Pfal.  xxii, 
12,  and  lxviii.  30.* * * § 

WILD  BULLA  This  animal  is  bred  in  the  Syrian 
and  Arabian  defer ts.  It  is  frequently  mentioned  by  the 
Arabian  poets,  who  are  copious  in  their  defcriptions 
of  hunting  it,  and  borrow  many  images  from  its  beau¬ 
ty,  J  ftrength,  fwiftnefs,  and  the  loftinefs  of  its  horns: 
They  reprefent  it  as  a  fierce,  and  untameable,  animal ; 
white  on  the  back,  with  large,  thinning,  eyes.§ 

Some  authors  have  fuppofed  th t  buffalo,  well  known 
in  India,  Abyflinia,  and  Egypt,  to  be  intended. 
This  animal  is  as  big,  or  bigger  than  a  common  ox  : 
Is  fullen,  fpiteful,  malevolent,  fierce,  and  untameable. 
Others, ||  again,  have  thought  that  in  Deut.  xiv.  4, 
and  Ifai,  li,  20,  the  oryx*,  or  Egyptian  antelope f  was 

*  See  a  corre&ed  verfion  of  this  pa/Tage  in  Pfalrns  under  the  arti¬ 
cle  hippopotamus. 

'f  The  Urus  of  Pliny,  and  the  ancients. 

The  beauty  of  Jofeph  is  compared  to  that  of  a  bullock,  Deut. 

xxxiii.  17. 

§  Scott  on  Jobxxxlx.  9. 

\\  Bochart,  Shaw  (fuppl.  p.  77,)  Lowth,  &c. 

It  is  alfo  an  inhabitant  of  Syria,  Arabia,  Perfia,  India,  Egypt, 
and  Ethiopia.  It  is  the  Antelope  Oryx  of  Linnaeus,  the  oryx  of  the 
ancients, the  pfjnn  of  Euflon,  and  the  getnje  bok  0 1  the  Lutch  cojQ.iiils 

at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.* 

*  Sparrman’s  Voyage,  v.  2.  p.  z:()3 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


55 


fpoken  of. — This  is  an  animal  about  as  large  as  our 
he-goat ;  but  in  figure,  colour,  and  agility,  it  chiefly 
refembles  the  flag. 

BULL-RUSH.  See  rujh . 

CALAMUS.  [Canticles  iv.  14.  Ezek.xxvii,  19, 
or fivcct  calamus ,  as  it  is  denominated,  Exod.  xxx.  23, 
or  f tv cet  cane,  as  rendered  in  llaiah,  xliii.  24.  and  in 
Jerem,  vi.  20.]  An  aromatic  reed  ;  growing  in 
moifl  places  in  Egypt,  in  Judea  near  lake  Genefareth, 
and  in  fever al  parts  of  Syria.*  It.  grows  to  about 
two  feet  in  height  ;  bearing  from  the  root  a  knotted 
flalk — quite  round,  containing  in  its  cavity,  a  foft, 
fpongy,  medullary,  fubfhance,  of  a  white  colour,  very 
light,  and  refembling  the  congeries  of  cobwebs.  The 
whole  is  of  an  agreeable  aromatick  fmell  :  And  the 
plant  is  faid  to  fcent  the  air  with  a  fragrance  even 
whilft  growing. f  When  cut  down,  dried,  and  pow¬ 
dered,  it  makes  an  ingredient  in  the  richell  perfumes. 
It  was  ufed  for  this  purpofe  by  the  Jews.  Exod. 

xxx.  23.  Ifai.  xliii.  24. 

The  prophets  fpeak  of  it  as  a  foreign  commodity  of 
great  value.  It  formed  a  part  of  the  Tyrian  trade 
with  the  Grecians  and  Danites.  Ezek.  xxvii,  19. 

The  word  is  alfo  ufed  to  fignify  the  branches  of 
the  candleftick  in  the  tabernacles,  Exod.  xxv.  31, 
which  were  probably  made  to  refemble  the  flalk  of 
the  calamus  :  Likewife  the  bone  of  the  arm,  Job^ 

xxxi.  22  :J  and  a  balance,  probably  after  the  man- 

-  ner 

*  Theophraftus,  de  Hift.  Plant.  1.  9.  c.  7.  Plin.  Lib.  32.  c,  zz, 
and  1. 13.  c.  11 . 

f  Celf.  Hiller, 

X  Tht joint  of  the  arm,  the  elbow*  Ixx,  Heath.  Scott, 


;*&  - 


-  *' 


IS 


If 


56  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

ner  of  the  fteel  yard,  whofe  arm,  or  beam,  was  a  gra¬ 
duated  reed.  Ifai.  xlvi.  6. 

CALF.  The  young  of  the  ox  kind. 

There  is  frequent  mention  in  fcripture  of  calves, 
becaufc  they  were  madeufe  of  commonly  in  facrifices. 
Sometimes  the  word  calf  is  put  for  a  heifer,*  and 
fometimes  in  oppofition  to  a  fucking  calf  (fill  under 
the  care  of  its  dam.  The  fatted  calf  mentioned  in 
feveral  places  in  fcripture,  as  in  1  Sam.  xxviii.  24.. 
and  Luke  xv.  23,  was  fatted  with  fpecial  reference  to 
a  particular  feflival,  or  extraordinary  facrifice. 

The  calves  of  the  lips,  mentioned  by  Hofea,  xiv.  2. 
fignify  the  facrifices  of  praife,  and  the  prayers  which 
the  captives  of  Babylon  addreffed  to  God,  being  no 
longer  in  a  condition  to  offer  facrifices  in  his  temple. 
The  Septuagint  read  it  “  the  fruit  of  our  lips,”  and 
their  reading  is  followed  by  the  Syriac,  and,oy  the 
Apoflle  in  his  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  chap, 
xiii.  15. 

Jeremiah  xxxiv.  18.  fpeaks  of  a  remarkable  cere¬ 
mony  which  is  fcarcely  taken  notice  of  in  any  of  the 
hilforical  books  of  fcripture.  The  Lord  fays,  I  zviil 
give  (i.  e.  to  captivity,  to  the  fword,  and  to  the  fam¬ 
ine)  the  men.  that  have  tranfgreffed  my  covenant ,  that  have 
not  performed  the  words  of  the  covenant  which  they  had 
made  before  me,  when  they  cut  the  calf  in  twain ,  and  paffed 
between  the  parts  thereof .  When  this  covenant  was 
fworn  to,  or  upon  what  occafion,  no  one  can  tell.  So 
much  however  is  probable  that  it  was  not  of  any 
long  date,  fince  thofe  who  formerly  had  fworn  to  it, 
were  hill  living.  The  cultom  of  cutting  a  viblim  in 
two,  of  nutting  the  halves  upon  two  oppofite  altars, 
*  ar,d 


*  For  a  yearling  for  inftance. 


o?  the  BIBLE, 


57 


and  making  thofe  who  contra&ed  any  covenant  pals 
between  them,  is  well  known  in  fcripture  and  pro- 
phane  authors.* 

GOLDEN  CALF ;  an  idol  fet  up  and  worshipped 
by  the  Ifraelites  at  the  foot  of  mount  Sinai,  in  their 
paffage  through  the  wildernefs  to  the  land  of  Canaan. f 
Our  verlion  of  the  bible  makes  Aaron  fafhion  this 
calf  with  a  graving  tool  after  he  had  call  it  in  a 
mould  ;  and  the  Geneva  tranflation,  (till  worfe, 
makes  him  engrave  it  firll  and  call  it  afterwards. 
Others  J  are  thought  rather  in  the  right  who  have  ren¬ 
dered  the  verfe  now  in  queflion  in  the  following  man¬ 
ner  ;  “  and  Aaron  received  them  ( the  golden  ear  rings )  and  tied 
them  up  in  a  bag ,  and  got  them  cajl  into  a  molten  calf 
which  verfion  is  authorized  by  the  different  imports 
of  the  Hebrew  word  tzur,  §  which  fignifies  to  tie  up9 
or  bind,  as  well  as  to  Jhape ,  or  form  ;  and  of  the  word 
cherret ,  ||  which,  though  it  may  properly  enough  be 
rendered  a  graving  tool  in  one  or  two  places  when  it 
is  ufed,  yet  in  others  it  fignifies  a  bag • 

The  Hebrews,  without  doubt,  upon  this  occafion 
intended  to  imitate  the  worlhip  of  the  god  Apis 
which  they  had  feen  in  Egypt.  And  this  fuppofition 
is  confirmed  by  St.  Stephen,  A£ts,  vii.  39. 

Jeroboam  having  been  acknowledged  King  by 
the  ien  tribes  of  IfraeJ,  and  intending  to  feparate 
them  forever  from  the  houfe  of  David,  thought  fit  to 
provide  new  gods  for  them,  whom  they  might  wor¬ 
ship  in  their  own  country,  without  being  obliged  to 


*  Gen,  xv.  9,  10,  17.  -f  Exod.  xxxii. 

on  a  new  Verf.  %  nix  II  Bin 
^  .  .  .  .  ^  ^  _  ...» 


g° 

J  Le  Seen.  Efiay 
An  Egyptian  deity 


^worthipped  in  the. form  of  a  living  bull. 


go  to  the  temple  of  Jerufalem,  there  to  pay  their  ad¬ 
oration.* 

The  Prophets  bitterly  exclaim  againfl  the  falfe  wor- 
fhip  of  thefe  golden  calves. i  And  when  at  any  time 
the  fcripture  would  defcribe  a  bad  prince,  it  fays,  that 
he  imitated  the  fins  of  Jeroboam  who  introduced  this 
idolatrous  worfhip. 

Some  think  that  Menahem,  King  of  Ifrael,.  was  ob¬ 
liged  to  fend  one  of  his  golden  calves  to  Phul,  there¬ 
by  engaging  him  to  come  to  his  afliftance,  J 

CAMEL.  An  animal  very  common  in  Arabia, 
Judea,  and  the  neighbouring  countries.  Its  fcripture 
name  is  gamal,§ 

This  genus  of  quadrupeds  is  characterized  by  want¬ 
ing  cutting  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw  ;  having  the  upper 
lip  divided  in  the  fame  manner  as  hares  •,  having  fix 
cutting  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw  ;  fmail  hoofs  ;  and 
neither  fpurious  hoofs,  nor  horns. || 

This  animal  is  diftinguifhed  from  the  dromedary 
by  having  two  protuberancies,  or  bunches  of  thick 
matted  hair,  on  its  back.  Its  height  is  fix  feet,  fix 
inches.  Its  head  is  fmail  :  Its  ears  are  fhort  :  Its 
neck  long,  (lender,  and  bending.  Its  hoofs  are  in 
part,  hut  not  thoroughly,  divided.  rl  he  bottom  ot 
the  foot  is  tough  and  pliant.  The  tail  is  long,  and 
terminates  in  a  tuft,  alfo  of  confiderable  length.-  On 
the  less  this  animal  has  fix  callofities  ;  four  on 

the 

*  i  Kings  xii.  27, 2S,  29,  30.  Hofea  x.  5.  t  2  Kings* 

xv.  19,  20* 

§  In  Chaldean  it  is  called  gamala  ;  in  ancient  Arabic,  gimel,  ir\ 
modern,  diammel ;  In  Greek  K.&^/r With  very  little  varia* 
fcions  the  name  of  this  animal  is  retained  in  modern  languages. 

I!  Edinb,  Syft.  of  Nat.  Hift.  p.  185. 


op  the  BIBLE. 


69 

the  fore  legs,  and  two  on  the  hinder  :  Befides  anoth¬ 
er  on  the  lower  part  of  the  bread.  Thefe  are  the 
parts  on  which  it  reds.  Its  hair  is  fine,  foft,  and  of 
condderable  length  ;  longed  indeed  upon  the  protu¬ 
berances,  the  neck,  and  the  throat.  In  the  middle  of 
the  tuft  terminating  the  tail,  the  hair  is  loft  and  line  : 
On  the  exterior  parts  coarfe,  and  often  black.  On 
the  protuberances  it  is  dufky  ;  over  the  red  of  the  bo¬ 
dy  of  a  reddifh  colour.  Befides  the  fame  internal 
drufture  as  other  ruminating  animals  the  camel  is 
furnifhed  with  an  additional  bag,  which  ferves  as  a 
refervoir  to  contain  a  quantity  of  water,  till  it  become 
neceffary  to  quench  his  third,  and  macerate  his  food. 
At  which  time,  by  a  fimple  contraction  of  certain  muf- 
cles,  he  makes  a  part  of  this  water  afcend  into  his  do- 
mach,  or  even  as  high  as  the  gullet.  This  fingular 
condru&ion  enables  him  to  travel  fix,  eight,  or  even 
twelve  days,  in  the  fandy  defarts,  without  drinking  ; 
and  to  take  at  once  a  prodigious  quantity  of  water 
which  remains  in  the  refervoir  pure  and  limpid,  be- 
caufe  neither  the  humors  of  the  body,  nor  the  juices 
that  promote  digedion,  can  have  accefs  to  it. 

The  Arabian  camel  podedes  the  powers  of  fenfation 
in  high  perfection.  His  eye  is  fufficiently  acute.  He 
is  faid  to  fmell  water  at  half  a  league’s  didance.  His 
tade,  indeed,  is  not  very  refined  ;  for  he  eats,  with 
high  fatisfaClion,  thidles,  acacia  fbrubs,  and  other  in- 
hpid  plants  of  a  fimilar  nature.  His  ear  is  notinfen- 
fible  to  the  power  of  mufic,  Even  in  his  native  cli¬ 
mate,  and  in  the  bed  condition,  he  has  a  pitiful  com¬ 
plaining  afpeCt.  His  manners  are  gentle,  peaceable, 
and  fubmidive.  The  unruly  horfe  fubmits  to  redraint 
and  receives  a  rider  or  a  burden  with  indignant  impa¬ 
tience  : 


tience  :  But  the  camel  kneels  obligingly  till  his  maf«* 
ter  loads  him,  or  mounts  upon  his  back.  Though  of  a 
heavy  and  apparently  unwieldy  form,  this  animal 
moves  with  confiderable  fpeed.  With  a  bale  of 
goods  on  his  back,  an  ordinary  camel  will  Jrayel  a 
journey  of  many  days  at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles  a 
day. 

The  pafiion  of  love  exerts  the  fame  infuriating  in¬ 
fluence  on  this  as  on  the  other  fpecies  of  the  animal 
creation.  His  negligence  of  food,  his  wild  cries,  the 
foam  iffuing  from  his  mouth,  and  the  reftlefTnefs  of 
his  motions,  all  indicate  how  violent  is  the  impulfe 
which  he  then  feels,*  The  female  is  a  year  pregnant ; 
produces  only  one  at  a  birth  ;  and  fuckles  her  young 
for  two  years. 

The  Arabian  merchants  produce  a  mongrel  race 
with  the  union  of  the  dromedary  and  the  camel,  in 
whom  the  vigour  of  the  one  is  united  with  the  mild 
docility  of  the  other. 

Of  all  the  animals  which  man  has  fubjugated,  the 
camel  and  the  dromedary  are  the  mod  abjeft  flaves. 
With  incredible  patience  and  fubmiflion  they  tra- 
verfe  the  burning  fands  of  Africa  and  Arabia,  carry¬ 
ing  burdens  of  amazing  weight.  Inftead  of  difcover- 
ing  fymptoms  of  reluctance,  they  fpontaneoufly  lie 
down  upon  their  knees  till  their  mafler  binds  the  un¬ 
merciful  load.  Both  their  confutation  andflrudure  a- 
gree  to  the  barren  foil  and  arid  climate  in  which  they  are 
produced.  The  Arabians  confider  the  camel  as  a  gift 
fent  from  heaven,  a  facred  animal,  without  whofe  af- 
fiftance  they  could  neither  fub fid,  trafhck,  nor  travel. 

Its 

•  D’Obfonville’s  Eflays  on  the  manners  of  various  foreign  animals, 
jEnglifh  Tranfl.  p.  173. 


OF  THE  BIBLE,  6! 

Its  milk  is  their  common  food.  They  alfo  eat  its  flefh. 
Of  its  hair,  which  is  (bed  once  a  year,  they  make  gar* 
Pients.  From  its  urine,  is  extra  fled  ammoniac  ;  a 
confiderable  article  of  merchandife.  And  its  excre¬ 
ments  make  a  kind  of  turf  which  burns  freely,  and 
gives  a  flame  as  clear,  and  a  1  mo  ft  as  lively  as  dry  wood. 
No  wonder  then  that  the  Arabians  have,  from  the 
earlieftages,  afliduoufly  availed  themfclves  of  the  fer- 
vices,  this  animal  is  qualified  to  afford.  Six  thou- 
fand  camels  were  part  of  the  immenfe  wealth  of  the 
Patriarch  Job. 

In  tracing  the  annals  of  remote  antiquity,  we  can¬ 
not  difcover  the  period  when  camels  exifted  only  in 
a  wild  ftate.  But  fo  gentle  an  animal,  would,  the  in- 
ftant  he  became  known  to  man,  be  fubjefted  to  his 
authority. 

They  are  faidtolive  forty  or  fifty  years# 

CAMELEON.  A  I ittle  animal  of  the  lizard  kind. 
It  has  four  feet  ;  and  a  long  flat  tail,  whereby  it  can 
hang  to  the  branches  of  trees  as  well  as  with  its  feet. 
Its  head  is,  without  any  neck,  joined  to  the  body,  as 
n  fi flies.  In  the  head  it  has  two  apertures  which 
€rve  for  noftrils.  It  has  no  ears  ;  nor  does  it  either 
nake,  or  receive,  any  found.  Its  eyes  are  large,  and 
rerfatile  this  or  that  way  without  moving  the  head  ; 
md  ordinarily  it  turns  one  of  them  quite  the  contra- 
y  way  to  the  other. 

It  is  a  common  tradition  that  the  cameleon  lives 
n  air.  Obfervation  and  experiment  have  fhswn  the 
ontrary.  Infe&s  are  its  ufual  food. 

This  animal  is  famous  among  ancient  and  modern 
liters  for  the  faculty  it  is  fuppofed  to  have  of  chang- 


62  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

ing  its  colour,  and  afluming  that  of  the  obje£b 
near  it. 

The  Hebrew  word  coach ,  Levit.  xi.  30,  which  the 
Greek  verfions,  St.  Jerom,  and  the  Englifh  interpre¬ 
ters  render  cameleon,  is  by  Bochart  thought  to  be  a 
fort  of  green  lizard,  which  is  lively  and  bold.  Its 
Hebrew  name  fignifies  jlrzngth*  dhe  word  tranflated 
mcle  in  the  fame  verfe  he  proves  to  be  the  real  came¬ 
leon.  [See  Mde.~\ 

CAMPHIRE.  [Canticles  i.  14.  and  iv.  13.]  It 
has  generally  been  iuppofed  that  the  htnnah ,*  a  beau¬ 
tiful  fhrub,  ten  or  fifteen  feet  high,  like  a  privet, 
whole  flowers  grow  in  bunches  and  have  a  lively  and 
grateful  fmell,  is  the  plant  here  intended. +  But  what¬ 
ever  vegetable  it  wras,  certainly  it  was  not  a  vine ,  and 
confequently  the  word  tranflated  vineyards ,  doth  not 
fignify  always,  places  where  vines  grow,  but  orchards; 
fhrubberies,  &c.$  So  <ve  read  of- -pomegranets in  the 
vineyards,  chap.  vii.  12. 

Sir  T.  Browne  fuppofes  the  plant  of  which  we  are 

treating,  the Kutjo;  of  Diofcorides  and  Pliny,  which 

grows  about  Egypt  and  Afcalon,  producing  a  fweet  and 

odorate  hufh  of  flowers  ;  and  out  of  which  is  made 

the  oleum  cyprinum .  .  . 

Frofper  Alpinus,  fpeaking  of  the  feveral  qualities 

of  this  plant,  obferves  that  clullers  of  its  flowers  are 
1  feen 


*  LHniftrum  ./Egypt!  a  cum  latifolium.  C.B.  P.  i7°v 
•f  Celf.  Hierobot.  p.  i.  p.  225.  Hiller,  Hieroph.  p.  i.  chap.  54* 
£aji  Hift.  Plant,  tom.  2.  p.  1604.  Shaw,  Pocock,  and  others  s  an 

thn'i  it  is  rendered  in  th,e  Septuagint  and  Vulgate. 

t  In  Pfal.  Ixxx.  15.  it  fhou’d  have  been  rendered  the  I tea :  or  pern, 
or  more  properly  foundation.  Taylor’s  Heb.  Concordance,  835,  1 34- 
and  866,  t.  The  word  branch ,  in  the  fame  verfe*  1  a  have  cen 

.Uar.fi  atecUii/iCf’*  Durell, 


or  tbeBIBL  E.  63 

fee n  hanging  to  the  ceilings  of  houfes  hi  C  aiio,  (See# 
to  render  the  air  more  moderate  and  pure.51*' 

CANE.+  The  fugar  cane  is  a  native  of  the  Eaft, 
and  has  been  cultivated  there  time  immemorial.  It 
was  firft  valued  for  its  agreeable  juice  :  Afterwards 
boiled  into  a  fyrup  ;  and,  in  procels  of  time,  an  in¬ 
ebriating  fpirit  was  prepared  therefrom  by  fermenta¬ 
tion.  This  conjecture  is  confirmed  by  the  etymology  ; 
for  the  Arabick  word  is  evidently  derived  from  tne 
Hebrew  which  fignifies  an  intoxicating  liquor. 

When  the  Indians  began  to  make  the  cane  juice  in¬ 
to  fugar,  I  cannot  difeover  ;  probably  it  foon  found 
its  way  into  Europe  in  that  form,  fir  EL  by  the  R^d 
Sea  ;  and  afterwards  through  Perfia  by  die  Black  Sea 
and  Cafpian.  But  the  plant  itfelf  was  not  known  to 
Europe  till  the  Arabians  introduced  it  into  the  South* 
ern  parts  of  Spain,  Sicily,  and  thofe  provinces  of 
France  which  border  on  the  Pyrenean  mountains# 
From  the  Mediterranean  the  Spaniards  and  Portu¬ 
guese  transported  it  to  the  Azores,  the  Madeira,  the 
Canary,  and  the  Cape  de  Verd  iflands,  foon  after 
they  had  been  discovered  in  the  15th  century  :  And 
in  mofl  of  thefe,  particularly  Maderia,  it  throve  ex¬ 
ceedingly.  And  in  1506  Ferdinand  the  catholick,  or¬ 
dered  the  cane  to  be  carried  from  the  Canaries  to  St, 
Domingo,  and  cultivated  there.  J  [See  Calamus.  j 

CANKER-WORM.  The  hedge  chafer  a  Spe¬ 
cies  of  locuft  :  So  called  from  its  gnawing  of  her¬ 
bage 

*  Nat.  Hift.  ALgyp,  tom.  2.  p.  193, 

•f  Jer.  vi.  20. 

t  Grainger’s  Sugar  Cane,  a  Poem,  p.  2. 

|  Scarabaeus  Arboreus,  See  Philof.  Tranfaft.  No,  234.  p.  741*, 


I 


bage  and  trees.  The  Hebrew  word  is  by  our  tranfta- 
tors  fometimes  rendered  cankerworm,  and  fometimes 
caterpillar.  * 

CAPER-TREE .  Alow  and  thorny  plant.  It3 
buds  and  fruit  are  ufed  in  fauces  to  create  an  appetite. 
We  find  the  word  in  Ecclef.  xii.  £.f  where  Solo¬ 
mon,  delcribing  old  age,  fays  the  caper-tree  Jhall  be  inef - 
fettuai  ;  which  is  a  figurative  way  of  exprefiing  the 
failure  of  the  appetite • 

CARBUNCLE.  A  very  elegant  and  rare  gem, 
whole  colour  is  deep  red,  with  an  admixture  of  fear- 
let.  + 

It  made  the  third  Hone  in  the  fird  row  of  the  high 
Prieft's  peft<^ral.§  And  is  mentioned  among  the  glo¬ 
rious  Hones  of  which  the  new  Jerufalem  is,  figura-* 
lively,  faid  to  be  built,  jj 

CARNELIAN.  A  precious  done  of  a  brownifh 
red  colour.  Its  name  is  originally  derived  from  its 
refemblance  to  flefh,  or  to  water  mixed  with  blood. 

CAROB-TREE. 

*  See  Nah.  iii.  16.  Pfal.  cv.  54,  Jerem.  li.  27.  Joel,  i.  4.  ii.  5. 

L  In  our  Englilh  Verfion,  “  the  dejire Jhall  fail." 

£  Known  to  the  ancients  by  the  name  of  Anthrox. 

§  Exod.  xxviii.  77.  and  xxxix.  10. 

||  Ifai.  liv.  11,  12.  Rev.  xxi.  18,21.  u  The  precious  ftones  mefi- 
tioned  in  thefe  places  feem  to  be  general  images  to  exprefs  beauty, 
magnificence,  purity,  flrength,  and  folidity  j  agreeably  to  the  ideas 
of  the  Eaftern  nations  ;  and  to  have  never  been  intended  to  be  ftridl- 
Jy  ferutinized,  or  minutely  and  particularly  explained,  as  if  they  had 
fome  precife  moral  or  fpiritual  meaning.  Tobir,  in  his  prophecy  of 
the  final  reparation  of  Ifrael,  c.  xii.  16,  17.  deferibes  the  new  Jerufa¬ 
lem  in  the  fame  oriental  manner.”  Lowth’s  Notes  to  his  new  Tr.  of 
Ifai.  p.  245, 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


65 


CAROB-TREE .*  A  lofty  tree.  It  is  quick  of 
growth  and  handfome.  It  produces  a  fruit  in  a  pod, 
or  legumen,  like  a  kidney  bean,  an  inch  broad,  and 


ten  or  twelve  inches  long.  They  iflue  in  clutters 


from  the  branches  and  body  of  the  tree  in  a  very.fin- 
gular  manner.  Thefe  pods  are  thick,  mealy,  and  of 
a  fweetifh  tafte  ;  when  dry  they  are  given  to  cattle 
as  provender. 

Some  have  called  the  fruit  locufia ,  and  fuppofed  it 
was  the  Baptift’s  food  in  the  wildernets.f  And 
there  is  the  greateft  probability  that  it  is  the  prodi¬ 
gal's  ceratia  or  hujks ,  [See  Hujks  and  Locujt . 

CASSIA,  The  arornatick  bark  of  an  oriental  tree  . 
of  the  fame  name.  It  is  not  much  unlike  cinnamon. 
Theophraftus  and  Pliny  mention  it  along  with  myirh, 
frankincenfe,  and  cinnamon  ;  and  fay  that  they  all 
come  from  Arabia.  J  And  both  Theophraftus  and 
Virgil  fpeak  of  it  as  ufed  to  perfume  ointments. §  Its 
great  reputation  in  early  times  as  a  perfume  may  be, 
inferred  from  Exod.  xxx.  24.  and  Pfal.  xlv,  8. 

There  is  no  mention  of  the  kind  of  fpice  which 
the  Hebrews  called  kiahah  but  in  Exod.  xxx.  24.  and 
in  Ezek.  xvii.  19.  where  it  is  joined  with  calamus, 
and  reckoned  among  the  precious  things  brought  to 
the  marts  cf  1  yre.  Therefore  it  doth  not  fignify 
that  caftia  which  is  now  ufed  as  a  medicine,  but  the 


F  2 


fort 


*  in  Spain  algaroba ,  garcfero ,  carobbe ,  or  Iccuji.  See  Dil¬ 

lon  s  travels  in  Spain,  p.  360.  note. —  Ceratonlay  carcguey  and  St . 
John's  bread.  MiWzx.—Gfratontayfdiqua,  Lin.  Spec.  Plant.  1513, 
•—.And  by  other  botanifts,  ceratcnia  eduhs. 

f  James’ Hitt,  of  Gibraltar.  Millar’s  Gardener’s  Diaionary  - 
and  others. 

t  Theoph.  de  Plant.  Lib.  9  c.  4,  5.  Plin.  Lib.  12.  c.  in. 


66  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

fort  called  by  Pliny  ifocinnamon ,  becaufe  it  was  equal 
to  cinnamon  in  virtue  and  in  value.*  But  this  dif¬ 
fering  but  little  from  cinnamon,  Scacchus  thinks  for 
that  very  reafon,  that  we  are  here  to  underhand  by 
kidhah  that  aromatick  compofition  extracted  from  a 
plant  which  the  ancients  call  cojlus  ;  the  bed  of 
which  was  brought  out  of  Arabia,  and  was  of  a  white 
colour,  as  he  proves  from  Avicenna,  Diofcorides,  and 
Pliny.  And  it  appears,  from  Propertius, +  that  it  was 
tiled  on  the  altars  together  with  frankincenfe. 

CATERPILLAR.^  A  fpecies  of  locuft.  The 
name  alludes  to  its  confuming  the  fruits  of  the  earth. § 

Jeremiah  fpeaks  of  the  rough  caterpillar ,  li.  27.  He 
muft  mean  that  kind  of  which  Claudian  fays  44  horret 
apex  capitis,”  Compare  with  this  Nahum,  iii.  17,  and 
Rev.  ix.  y* 

CEDAR.  A  large  and  noble  evergreen  tree  ; 
claffed  by  Linnaeus  among  the  junipers.  It  is  of  lofty 
height  :||  and  its  far  extended  branches  afford  a  fpa- 
cious  fhelter  and  fhade.  See  Ezek.  xxxi.  5,  6,  8. 
The  wood  is  very  valuable  :  It  is  of  a.  reddifh  colour, 
of  an  aromatick  fmell,  and  is  reputed  almoft  immortal 
and  incorruptible,  a  prerogative  that  it  owes  highly 
to  its  bitter  taffe  that  the  worm?  cannot  endure,  and 
its  refinous  oil  which  prefervesit  from  injuries  of  the 

weather. 

*  Plin.  I.  c.  19.  and  Salmaf.  Plin.  Exercit.  in  Soli n.  p.  1302. 

-J-  ‘4  Coftum  molle  dace,  et  blandi  mihi  thuris  honores.’-’ 

}  Brucbus,  §  Bochart  :  And  Taylors’  Heb.  Concordance, 

No.  614. 

j|  Ezek.  xxxi.  5.  Celfius  Hierobot.  p.  94.  Cotovicus  Itiner.  p.  380.. 
Raunolf’s  Travels,  Part  2,  c.  12.  p.  208.  Axtius  de  Arbor.  Cor- 
if.  p.  8« 


nsv-r- 


1 


o?  the  BIBLE,  67 

weather.*  The  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  temple- 
of  Solomon,  and  that  of  Diana  at  Ephefus,  were  all 
built  with  it. 

The  tree  is  much  celebrated  in  fcripture.  It  is  call¬ 
ed  the  glory  of  Lebanon. +  On  that  mountain  it  muft 
in  former  times  have  flourifhed  in  great  abundance. 
There  are  fome  now  growing  there  prodigioufly  thick 
and  large.  But  travellers  who  have  vilited  the  place 
within  thefe  two  or  three  centuries,  and  who  de- 
feribe  the  old  cedars  as  trees  of  a  prodigious  hze,  in¬ 
form  us  that  their  number  is  diminilhed  greatly. J 
Rauwolf  fays,  in  his  travels,  that  there  was  not  upon 
mount  Libanus  at  the  time  when  he  was  there,  1574, 
more  than  twenty  fix  remaining.  Mau.ndrell  afeend- 
ed  the  mountain  May  9,  1699.  He  obferves  that 
the  cedars  grow  quite  upon  its  fummit  among  the 
fnow  :  That  fome  of  them  were  very  old,  and  of  pro¬ 
digious  bulk  ;  others  younger  and  of  a  fmaller  hze. 
Qf  the  former  he  could  reckon  up  only  hxteen  ;  but, 
the  latter  were  numerous.  He  meafured  one  of 
the  larged,  and  found  it  to  be  twelve  yards  and 
hx  inches  in  girt,  and  yet  found  5  and  thirty 
feven  yards  in  the  fpread  of  its  boughs.  §  M.  Bil- 
lardiere,  who  travelled  thither  in  1789,  fays  that 
only  feven  of  thofe  of  fuperiour  hze  and  antiquity 

remain. 

*  Some  cedar  wood  was.found  frelhin  the  temple  of  Utica  in  Bar* 
bary  about  2000  years  old. 

4*  Ifai.  lx.  13.' 

%  This  may  perhaps  be  owing,  fays  Mr.  Merrick,  to  the  havoxk 
and  devaluation  made  among  the  cedars  by  the  various  invaders  of  the 
Holy  land,  and  particularly  the  Saracens.  See  Celfius  Hiercb.  p.  86, 
and  Michadis,  receud  de  queftiom  propoje'es  dune  Societe'de  Savans 
qui  par  ordre  de  f<a  majejte  Danoije  font  le  voyage  de  V Arable t  1763, 
p,  308. 

§  Journey  from  Aleppo  to  Jerufaleui,  p.  142. 


remain.  The  larged,  eighty  or  ninety  feet  in  height ; 
and  the  trunks  from  eight  to  nine  feet  in  diameter, 
Thefe  are  preferved  with  religious  dri&nefs.  For 
we  are  informed,  from  the  memoirs  of  mifiionaries 
into  the  Levant,  that  upon  the  day  of  the  transfigur¬ 
ation,  the  Patriarch  of  the  Maronites,*  attended  by  a 
number  of  bifhops,  priefls,  and  monks,  and  followed 
by  five  or  fix  hundred  of  the  religious  from  all  parts, 
repairs  to  thefe  trees,  and  there  celebrates  the  feflival 
which  is  called  6i  the  fcaji  of  cedars We  are  alfo 
told  that  the  Patriarch  officiates  pontifically  upon  this 
folemn  occafion  ;  that  his  followers  are  particularly 
mindful  of  the  bleffed  Virgin  on  this  day,  becaufe  the 
fcripture  compares  her  to  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  ; 
and  that  the  fame  holy  father  threatens  with  ecclefi- 
aftical  cenfure  thofe  who  prefume  to  hurt  or  diminifh 
the  dill  remaining  cedars. 

The  Pfalmidf  makes  a  proper  and  fine  allufion  to 
this  tree  in  his  defcription  of  the  fiourrfhing  date  of 
a  people. 

The  learned  Celfius,  in  the  hrd  tome  of  his  hierobo - 
tanicon ,  has  offered  to  the  publick  two  didertations,  in 
which  he  attempts  to  prove  that  berojli  and  beroth\  are 
the  names  by  which  the  cedar  of  Libanus  is  expreff- 
ed  in  fcripture  ;  and  that  erez  §  does  not  fignify  the 
cedar ,  but  the  pine.  But  the  Septuagint,  the  Vulgate, 
and  the  generality  of  modern  interpreters,  fupport  the 

common 

*  Maronites  are  certain  Eaftern  Chriftians  who  inhabit  near 
mount  Libanus,  in  Syria,  The  name  is  derived  either  frcm  a  town 
in  the  country  called  Maronia,  or  from  St.  Maron,  who  built  a 
monaftery  there  in  the  fifth  century.  Hannah  Adams’  View  of  Re¬ 
ligions.  2d.  Edit. 

t  Pf.  xcii.  12,  13,  14,  and  lxxx.  10. 

J  Tranflated  fir-trees  in  our  Englifh  verfron* 

§  Tranflated  cedars  in  our  bible. 


OF  THE  BIBLE* 


69 

common  verfion.  And  Mr.  Trew,*  profeflor  IIunt,+ 
and  Mr,  Merrick,  adopt  and  defend  the  fame  opin* 
ion.  The  latter  has  ably  advocated  this  interpretation 
in  a  .very  learned  and  ingenious  differtation  on  Pfal* 
xxix.  5,  annexed  to  his  commentary  on  the  Pfalms  ; 
With  the  concluding  paragraph  of  which  I  fhall  fin- 
ifh  this  article.  “I  fhall  only  add  one  argument 
more  in  favour  of  our  interpretation,  which  M.  Mi- 
chaelis  mentions  as  oife  ed  by  Mr.  Trew,  and  which 
he  CGnfefies  himfelf  not  able  to  anfwer.  It  is  taken 
from  the  following  paffage  in  Ezekiel,  xxxi.  5,  6,  8, 
where  the  trez  of  Lebanon,  or  a  perfon  compared  to 
it,  is  thus  defcribed  :  Therefore  his  height  was  exalted  a- 
hovt  alt  the  trees  of  the  fields  and  his  boughs  were  midtiplied, 
and  his  branches  became  long  :  Under  his  branches  did  all  the 
beajls  of  the  field  bring  forth  their  young,  &c,  M.  Mi- 
chaelis  obferves  that  this  defcription  perfectly  agrees 
with  the  cedar,  whereas  the  pine  does  not  fo  overfhad- 
ow  the  place  where  it  grows  as  to  fupport  the  image 
which  the  words  of  the  prophet  prefent.” 

CHALCEDONY.  Rev.  xxi,  19.  A  precious 
Hone.  It  ought,  perhaps,  to  be  read  carcedonius ,  that 
is  of  Carthage  ;  for  there  is  not  one  word  faid  of  the 
chalcedon  in  ancient  authors,  but  they  often  fpeak  of 
the  cartedon,  which  is  a  fort  of  carbuncle,  having  its 
name  from  being  brought  from  Carthage,  which  is  in 
Greek  Carcedon.J 

CHAMOIS. 

*  Hiftcria  cedorum  Libani. 

■f  In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Merrick  inferted  at  the  end  of  his  annota¬ 
tions  on  the  Pfalms,  p.285. 

t  Hence  Pefronius,  “  ^  Qu>>  Carcedonios  optas  ignes  lapideos^ 
ipiii  ut  fcimilierjt  ?** 


7© 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


CHAMOIS.*  A  particular  fpecies  of  the  goat 
kind.  He  is  remarkably  fhy,  and  fprightly  ;  and  em¬ 
inently  fwift  :  And  his  fprightlinefs  and  timidity 
very  often  prompt  him  to  exercife  his  agility  and  ve¬ 
locity. 

CHES  NUT-TREE.  Gen.  xxx.  37.  and  Ezek, 
xxx.  37.  It  fhould  have  been  rendered  the  plane- 
tree,  t 

CHRYSOLITE.^  Schroder  fays  it  is  the  pre¬ 
cious  gem  which  we  now  call  the  Indian  topaz,  which 
is  of  a  yellow ilh  green  colour  ;  very  beautiful. 

CHRYSOPR  ASUS.§  A  precious  flone,  refemb- 
ling  the  beryl.  |j 

CINNAMON.  An  agreeable,  aromatick  fpice  : 
The  fecond,  ^nd  inward  bark  of  a  tree,  called  c&ndla 
zeylanica .  The  tree  from  which  it  is  taken  is  about 
the  height  of  the  willow,  and  grows  in  the  ifiand  of 
Ceylon,  and  fome  other  places,  from  its  roots  cam- 
phire  is  extraftedA 

CITRON-TREE.**  An  ever  green  tree,  or  fhrub, 
of  the  fame  genus  with  the  orange  and  lemon.  It 
was  fir  ft  brought  from  Aftyria  and  Media  into  Greece, 
and  thence  into  the  fouthern  parts  of  Europe,  where 
it  is  now  cultivated.  It  bears  an  agieeabie  fruit,  in 

colour 

*  The  Rupicapra  of  Pliny  5  the  antelope  E>upicapra  of  Pallas,  and 
the  lath  edition  of  the  fyft.  nat.  Linnsei. 

•f  Celfius  hierob.  Hiller,  hierophot.  pars.  l.  c.  43.  p.  402.  and 
Taylor’s  Heb.  Cone.  no.  1415* 

£  Rev.  xxi.20.  §  ib.  19.  I)  Plin.  Nat.  Hift.  1.  37.  c.  5. 

Pomet’s  Hi  ft.  of  drugs,  p.  72.  and  Brook’s  Nat.Hift.v.  6*p»7|* 

*  *  Citreutn  cUrum ,  or  rnajui  medica* 


colour,  tafte,  and  fmell,  refcmbling  a  lemon  ;  but 
its  fize  is  rather  larger,  and  its  pulp  firmer,  and  fome^ 
what  lefs  acid.  [  See  Apple,  trce,^ 

COCK.  A  well  known  domeftick  Fowl. 

Many  have  fuppofed  that  Chrid  referred  to  the 
crowing  of  this  animal  in  foretelling  the  obdinate 
denial  of  Peter.*  But  there  are  difficulties  attending 
this  idea,  which  are  fufficient  to  lead  us  cheerfully  to 
adopt  another  more  natural  and  probable.  %  This  is 
Fumi fhed  us  by  a  late  ingenious  critick.f 

The  words  of  the  Evangelids  mull  evidently  be 
reftrifled  to  a  particular  cock,  or,  indead  of  one 
miracle,  we  mud  fuppofe  a  thoufand.  For  other- 
wife  all  the  cocks  of  Jerufalem  mud  have  been  mi- 
raculoufly  redrained  from  crowing  till  Peter  had  three 
times  denied  his  mader,  and  then  all  their  mouths, 
like  that  of  Zecharias,  mud  have  been  immediately  o- 
pened,  and  their  tongues  loofened.  Thefe  difficulties 
doubtlefs  are  great,  but  they  are  not  a  little  augmented 
by  what  the  Rabbies  tell  us  :  For  they  pofitively  deny 
that  there  were  any  cocks  in  Jerulalem.  They  fay  they 
Were  not  permitted  to  be  there  on  account  of  the  ho- 
linefs  of  the  place,  nor  yet  within  fome  miles  of  it. 
For  this  reafon  fome  of  the  modern  Jews  cavil  againft 
this  declaration  of  the  Evangelids,  while  other  pofi¬ 
tively  difbelieve  its  truth. 

Now,  let  it  be  remembered  that  Jerufalem  was  a 
military  dation,  and  had  a  drong  garrilon  of  always  a 
thoufand  men,  and  during  the  feafts  of  a  much  great¬ 
er  number.  They  obferved  the  military  cudoms  of 

the 

*  oee  Math.  xxvi.  34,  74  :  Asd  its  parallel?,  &c.  Mark*  xiv,  6$, 
?£■  Luke  xxii.  60,  John  xxviii.  27. 

F  See  Theological  Repofitory,  vol,  vi.  p,  105. 


4~ 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

the  Romans  concerning  the  placing  and  relieving  the 
guard.  The  night  was  divided  into  four  watches,  of 
to  ice  nouis  c  a  c  n ,  1.  e  •  fro  m  fix  in  the  evening  to 
nine,  from  nine  to  twelve,  from  twelve  to  .three,  and 
from  three  to  fix.  They  are  thus  fet  down  in  Mark, 
xiii.  35*  Watch,  therefore ,  jor  ye  know  not  when  the  mas¬ 
ter  of  the  houjt  comelh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight ,  or  at  the 
cock  crowing ,  or  in  the  morning . 

Thefe  watches,  or  guards,  were  declared  by  the 
found  of  a  trumpet ;  and  whenever  one  guard  reliev¬ 
ed  another  it  was  always  done  by  this  ufual  military 
fignal.  The  whole  four  watches  were  clofed  by  the 
blowing  of  a  fhrill  horn.  Drakenborch  fays,  the  la ffc 
trumpet,  which  blew  at  three  in  the  morning,  was 
founded  three  times  to  imitate  the  crowing  oj  a  cock  ;  but, 
from  the  words  of  Aufonius,  it  might  be  the  fhrill 
horn,  which  blew  three  times  in  imitation  of  a  cock. 
And  certainly  this  would  render  the  imitation  more 
firiking.  Among  the  innumerable  proofs  that  if  would 
be  poflible  to  bring  of  thefe  things  take  the  few  in 
the  note.* 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  guard  or  watches  were 
relieved  by  the  found  of  the  trumpet*  The  two  laft; 
watches  were  both  of  them  called  cock  crowings, 
becaufe  cocks  ufually  crowed  in  that  fpace  of  time. 
But  as  the  trumpet  founded  thefe  watches,  its  found 
was  often  called  the  crowing  of  the  firfl  cock,  and 
the  crowing  of  the  fecond  cock.  And  more  efpecial- 

iy 

*  Silius  Ital.  lib.  7.  p.  154.  edit.  Drakenborch,  and  the  learned 
frote  of  the  Editor  upon  the  place.  Vegetius,  de  caftrorum  ordina- 
tione,  lib.  3.  c.  S.  Cenforinus,  de  die  natali,  c.  9.  Mofchus  idyll,  n. 
Aufonius  j  and  Craev.  antiq.  v.  4.  p.  1184.  Juvenal,  fat.  9.  1.  ICQ. 
aad  Ariflophanes,  as  quoted  by  Whitby  on  Mark  xiv.  68. 


ly  the  lafk  founding,  becaufe  it  blew  three  times  in 
imitation,  as  Aulonius  fays,  of  the  (brill  note  of  a 
cock. 

I  conclude,  therefore,  fays  our  author,  that  when 
Chrifl  prophecied,  that  before  the  cock  crew  twice 
Peter  fhould  deny  him  thrice,  he  did  not.  ftake  his  ve¬ 
racity  on  the  uncertain  caprice  of  an  individual  brute, 
but  on  a  thing  certain  and  conftant,  the  trumpet 
founding  the  fourth  watch. 

COCKATRICE.  The  bafilifk.  The  cockatrice 
ds  a  fabulous  reptile,  which  never  exifted  but  in  fancy. 

COCKLE.  This  is  well  known,  being  a  com¬ 
mon  and  hurtful  weed  in  our  corn.  The  Hebrew 
word  bojliah ,  Job  xxxi.  40.  fignifies  finking  weed.* 
What  particular  kind  is  intended  cannot  eafily  be  de¬ 
termined. 

CONY.  The  rabbit;  or  red  eyed  hare,  with  a 
fhort  tail.  Bochart,  and  others,  have  fuppofed  the 
fchaphan  of  the  feriptures  to  be  the  jerbua.  But  Mr. 
Bruce  proves  that  the  alhkoko  is  intended. 

[See  AJhkoko.^ 

COPPER.  One  of  the  fix  primitive  metals.  It  is 
the  moft  du&ile  and  malleable  metal  after  gold  and 
filver.  Of  copper  and  lapis  calminaris  is  formed  brafs. 

CORAL. f  A  hard,  flony,  marine  fubftance,  re- 
fcmbling  in  figure  the  Rem  of  a  plant  divided  into 

branches. 

*  Taylor’s  Hebr.  Cone.  no.  143.  from  the  root  to  x$ 

he  loathjcmt  avd  odious . 

f  From  K o^7j  oO\.C$  daughter  of  the  Jea .  Vaft  groves  of  It 
grow  on  the  rocks  in  the  Red  Sea,  Perfian  gulf,  &c.  See  Chryfoft. 
ex  Strab.  geogr.  !«  16.  p.  213.  ed.  Hudfon,  and  Shaw’s  travels,  p, 
384.  &c. 


74  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

branches.  It  is  of  different  colours;  black,  white, 
and  red.  The  latter  is  the  fort  emphatically  called  co¬ 
ral,  as  being  the  mod  common,  and  mod  valuable,  and 
employed  in  the  way  of  ornament.  It  is  of  a  fine 
uniform  red  colour  throughout  its  whole  fubdance. 

This,  though  no  gem,  is  ranked  by  the  author  of 
the  book  of  Job  xxviii.  18.  with  the  onyx  and  fap- 
phire.  It  mud  however  be  owned  that  the  hgnifica- 
tion  of  the  original  word  is  altogether  uncertain. 

The  Syrians  anciently  brought  it  from  the  South, 
and  traded  therein  with  the  Tyrians.  Ezek.  xxvii.  16. 

Mr.  Bruce*  thinks  the  fea  Zuph,  in  our  and  other 
verfions  called  the  Red  Sea,  fhould  be  named  the  fea  of 
coral.  “  As  for  what  fanciful  people  have  faid  of  any 
rednefs  in  the  fea  itfelf,  or  colour  in  the  bottom,  the 
reader  may  affure  himfelf  all  this  is  fiftion,  the  Red 
Sea  being  in  colour  nothing  different  from  the  Indian 

or  any  other  ocean. 

cc  There  is  a  greater  difficulty  in  affigning  a  reaioi. 
for  the  Hebrew  name,  yam  juph  ;  properly  fo  called, 
fay  learned  authors,  from  the  quantity  of  weeds  in  it. 
But  I  muff  confefs,  in  contradiaion  to  this,  that  1 
never  in  my  life  (and  I  have  feen  the  whole  extent, 
of  it)  faw  a  weed  of  any  fort  in  it ;  and,  indeed,  upon 
the  flighted  confideration  it  will  appear  to  any  one 
that  a  narrow  gulph,  under  the  immediate  influence  of 
monfoons  blowing  from  contrary  point  fix  months 
each  year,  would  have  too  much  agitation  to  produce 
fuch  vegetables,  feldom  found  but  in  ftagnant  waters, 
and  feldom er,  if  ever,  found  in  fait  ones.  1  y  opin¬ 
ion  then  is,  that  it  is  from  the  large  trees,' t  or  p, ants,  oj 

t  f  ftw oil  0f1h!fe?whkh  from  a  root  nearly  central, out 

a  _riw  circular  form.  meafuring  twenty  lix  feet 
ramifications  in  a  nearly  circular  r  ? 

iiameter  every  way. 


or  THE 


BIBLE. 


75 


white  coral ,  fpread  every  where  over  the  bottom  of 
the  Red  Sea,  perfeBly  in  imitation  of  plants  on  land, 

that  the  fea  has  obtained  this  name.” 

While  I  am  making  this  extract  a  learned  rien 
fl lengthens,  by  his  ingenious  criticifms,  this  opin.on 
of  Mr  Bruce.  Heobferves  that  the  word  A  means 
fometimes  poji,  or  fake,  to  which  the  large  branches 
of  coral  may  bear  fome  refemblance.  Dr.  Shaw 
fpeaks  of  them  as  fo  confiderable  that  they  tied  their 
boats  to  them.  The  fea  is  at  this  day  called  Bahrfuf, 
and  the  vegetation  it  produces  fufo.  And  Calmet 
produces  the  authority  of  Don  Johnde  Caitro,  Vice¬ 
roy  of  the  Indies  for  the  King  of  Portugal,  who  be¬ 
lieves  likewife  that  it  has  its  name,  jamfuph,  from  the 


great  quantity  of  cora  found  in  it. 

If  after  this  1  might  hazard  a  conjecture  of  my  own 
I  would  contend  that  it  means  the  extreme,  or  boundary 
fea:  my  reafons  for  which  I  will  proauce  after  ac¬ 
counting  for  the  name  it  now  bears.  It  is  certain 
that  the  books  of  the  old  teftament  invariably  call  it 
thi  fea  zuph.  And  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the 
name  red  was  not  given  to  it  till  after  the  Idumear.s 
[of  Edomites]  had  fpread  themfelves  from  Eaft  to 
Weft  till  they  came  to  border  upon  and  poflefs  this 
fea.  They  had  long  the  property  and  ufe  of  it  for 
their  fhipping.  Then  it  came  to  be  called  by  the 
name  of  the  fea  of  Edom ,  which  the  Greeks  tranflated 
thalaffe  Erythrea ,  the  fea  of  Erythras  (the  fame  as  Edom), 
Edom  fignifying  red  A  In  1  Kings,  ix.  26,  anu  2 
Chron.  viii.  17.  the  fea  of  fuph  is  mentioned  as  in  the 
land  of  Edom,  which  may  be  considered  as  a  con¬ 
firmation  of  this  conjeClure.  This 


*  Rev.  Mr.  Weft,  of  New  Bedford, 
f  Gen.  xxv.  30.  Buxtorf.  Taj  lor. 


V- 


■ 


t  ^  -  -  r'  v  ' ' 


If 

R 


mf 


1(2  'M 


!i 


I 


m 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

This  fea  is  twice  mentioned*  exprefsly  as  the  limit  or 
extreme  boundary ,  of  the  poffeflions  of  the  Ifraeiites  : 
And  in  feveral  inftaneesf  is  implied,  or  included,  in 
the  boundary.  The  original  and  moft  general  mean¬ 
ing  of  fuph  is  end,  limit ,  extremity ,  or  hinder  part.X 
This  has  induced  me  to  believe  it  originally  called  by 
the  Jews  the  further  boundary  fea .  That  it  was  not 
named  juph  becaufe  abounding  in  coral ,  I  apprehend 
from  this  circurnftance  that  that  marine  produ&ion  is 
mentioned  in  fcripture  by  an  entirely  different  name* 
It  is  fpoken  of  in  Job  xxviii.  18.  and  Ezek.  xxvii.  16. 
as  a  precious  (lone,  and  is  called  ramut,  from  a  verbS 
whole  primary  and  ufual  bonification  is  to  lift,  or 
raife  up ,  and  in  Ifai.  ii.  13,  x.  33.  to  have  lojty  branches* 
Coral,  as  we  have  before  obferved,  lifts  itfelf  many 
yards  above  the  water;  and  therefore  might  very 
properly  be  called,  ramnt,  the  branching  font* 

CORIANDER.  A  plant  fame  what  like  par  Hey* 
It  bears  a  fmall  round  feed  of  a  very  agreeable  fmell 
and  taffe,  though  both  in  the  plant  are  extremely, 
naufeous.  They  have  a  carminative  viitue. 

The  manna  might  be  like  coriander  feed  in  refpefb 
to  its  form  ;  the  two  feeds  together  being  about  the 
bignefs  of  a  pea,  with  a  fmooth  furface  :  But  if  Mol¬ 
es  means|j  that  it  was  like  the  feed  of  gad  in  white- 
nefs,  or  transparency  of  colour,  it  muff  be  fome  oth¬ 
er  plant  that  is  meant  by  gad  j  for  the  feeds  of  cori¬ 
ander  are  grey i flu 

CORMORANT* 


ill# 


j  M‘  . 
■ir- 1 

m 


*  Excd.  xxiii.  31.  and  Numb,  xrxiv.  3. 

■f  Deut.  xi.  24.  Juih.  1.4*  1  Kings,  iv.  21,  24.  Pfal.  Ixxii.  I* 
J  See.  Buxtorf,  and  Taylor. 

^  RDT1  rum,  whence  the  La-tin  word  ramus,  a  branch* 

H  Exod.  XVJ.  31. 


o?  the  BIBLE 


CORMORANT.  A  fea-bird,  nearly  as  large  as  a 
goofe.  It  may  be  didinguifhed  from  other  birds  of 
this  kind  by  its  four  toes  being  united  together  by 
membranes  ;  and  the  middle  toe  being  notched  like 
a  faw  to  aftilt  it  in  holding  its  fifhy  prey.  It  is  thir¬ 
ty  two  inches  in  length,  and  almod  four  feet  in 
breadth  from  the  tip  of  each  wing.  The  bill,  which  is 
three  inches  and  an  half  long,  is  dufky,  and  deditute 
of  noftrils  :  The  bafe  of  the  lower  chap  is  covered 
with  a  naked  yellowifh  fkin,  that  extends  down  the 
neck,  forming  a  kind  of  pouch. 

The  bird  is  extremely  voracious.  It  lives  upon 
hfh,  and  darts  down  very  rapidly  after  its  prey. 
The  Hebrew  and  Gr«ek  name  of  this  bird  is  expref- 
hve  of  its  impetuofity. 

CORN.  The  generick  name  in  feripture  for  grain 
of  all  kinds  :  As  wheat,  rye,  barley,  &c. 

The  word  mtror ,  Levit.  xxiii.  14.  in  our  tranflation 
■parched  corv}  is  faid  to  mean  bitter  herbs . 

CRANE.  A  well  known  bird.  Mr.  Harmer* 
hath  fhewn  it  to  be  highly  probable  that  the  hoopoe 
is  the  bird  intended  Ifai.  xxxviii.  14. 

CROCODILE .  An  oviparous,  amphibious  ani¬ 
mal  ;  the  larged  of  the  lizard  kind.  They  are  found 
from  eighteen  to  twenty  feven  feet  long.  Bcchart 
has  unanswerably  proved  that  this  is  the  animal  men¬ 
tioned  in  job  xli.  by  the  name  of  Leviathan.  *  The 
eh  a  rafters  in  the  description  perfectly  correfpond  to 
that  animal,  allowance  being  made  for  poetical  orna¬ 
ments  and  neightenings.  But  the  defeription  is  not 
intended  for  a  difplay  of  the  author’s  fublime  talents 

&  2  and  " 

*  Vol.  iv.  443,  446. 


78  The  N  A  T  URAL  H  ISTORY 

and  merely  to  'ejmbellifh  his  poem.  It  has  a  nobler 
defign.  That  defign  is  clearly  explained  in  the  tenth 
verfe.  None  is  Jo  Jzrct  that  dare  Jir  him  up  :  $  What 

then  is  able  to  fit  and  bejore  me  ?  Hence  Job  is  taught  to 
tremble  at  his  danger,  in  having  provoked,  by  his 
murmurs  and  litigation,  the  dilpleafure  of  the  maker 
of  this  dreadful  animal.  His  high  fpirit  is  brought 
down  •  his  conviliion  is  completed  ;  and  his  repent¬ 
ance  and  fubmifiTion.fatisfy  the  Almighty.* 

CRYSTAL.  A.  hard,  tranfparent,  and  naturally 
colourless  fofiii  ;  of  a  regular  angular  form.  It  has 
fomewhat  the  appearance  of  fron.cn  water. — It  is  de¬ 
rived  from  a  word  which  lignin cs  pure,  clear ,  pellucid. f 
Ezqkiel  cbferves  i.  22.  that  in  his  glorious  vifion  the 
likentfj  of  the- firmament  ■zvcis  as  the  colour  cf  terrible  cryjtal : 
i.  e.  terrible,  (or  wondeiful)  from. its  vail  extent,  and 
glaring:  brightnefs*. 

CUCKOW.  Levit.  xi.  16.  Heb.  facaph  or fah-haplu 
Bochaxt  thinks  the  fea-mew,  or  gull,  intended  here,. 
But  Dr.  Shaw  thinks  that  it  might,  agreeably  to  its 
ferivture  name,  be  the  jhJ-Jojy  a  bird  he  faw  in  the 
Eai%  and  which  he  thus  defcribes.j'  41  The  rhaad ,  or 
Jaf-jaf,  is  a  granivorous  and  gregarious  bird;  which 
wanteth  the  hinder  toe.  There  are  two  fpeeies  of  it ; 
the  fmaller  whereof  is  of  the  fize  of  an  ordinary  pul¬ 
let,  but  the  larger  is  nearly  as  big  as  the  capon,  differ - 
ingr  alfo  from  the  Idler  in  having  a  black  head,  with 
a  tuft  of  dark  blue  feathers  immediately  below  it. 
The  belly  of  them  both  is  white,  the  Lack  and  wings 

of 

*  See  the  note*  in  Scott's  poet,  verfe  n  :  Where  the  particulars  ttt 
the  defeription  are  applied  to  the  properties  and  manners  of  ths 
crocodile. 

f  Taj  lot’s  Heb.  cone,  no.  4c?.  X  Travels^  pv 


o?  tHE  BIBLE.  79 

♦ 

of  a  buff  colour  fpotted  with  brown,  whilft  the  tail 
is  lighter,  marked  all  along  with  black  tranfvcue 
{freaks.  The  beak  and  legs  are  ftronger  than  m 
birds  of  the  partridge  kind.  Rhaad,  which  denoteth 
thunder,  in  the  language  of  this  country,  is  fuppofcd 
to  be  a  name  that  hath  been  given  to  this  bird  from 
the  noife  it  rnaketh  in  fprfnging  from  the  ground; 
as  jdf-faf)  the  other  name,  very  naturally  expreffeth 
the  beating  of  the  air  when  on  the  w  ing. 

CUCUMBER.  The  fruit  of  a  vine  very  common 
in  our  gardens.  The  flower  con  fills  of  one  leaf, 
fafhioned  like  a  bell,  divided  into  feveral  parts. 
The  fruit  is  pulpy  ;  and  divided  into  three  cells, 
where  the  numerous  feeds  are  placed  in  two  rows. 
Tournefort  mentions  fix  kinds,  of  which  the  white, 
and  green,  are  moft  efleemed.  Indeed  they  are  very 
plentiful  in  the  Eaft,  cfpecially  in  Egypt ;  and  much 
fuperiour  to  our’s.f 

Haffelquift  fpeaks  of  a  cucumber,  called  chafe  in 
Egypt,  which  he  thinks  may  be  reckoned  among  thole 
for  which  the  children  of  Ifrael  longed.  It  differs 
not  from  the  ordinary  fort  excepting  in  fize,  colour,, 
and  foftnefs  i  And  in  being  more  fweet  to  the  take, 
and  more  eafy  of  digekion.  It  is  eaten  either  raw 
or  boiled,  and  is  fuppofed  very  wholefome. 

The  cooling  properties  of  this  fruit  render  it  alfo  a 
very  fer  vice  able  medicine  in  Egypt.  Its  pulp,  beat¬ 
en  up,  and  mixed  with  milk,  is  luccefsfully  applied  to 
inflammations,  particularly  thole  of  the  eyes.J 

CUMMIN. 

*  See  DifTertations,  &c.  I.  p«  x.  On  the  names  given  by  Adam  to 
the  animals,  &c. 

Cell,  hierobot. 


t  Profp,  Alp.  v.  1.  p.  55, 


So  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


CUMMIN.  An  umbelliferous  plant  ;  in  appear¬ 
ance  refembling  fennel,  but  much  {'mailer.  Its  feeds 
have  a  bitterifh  warm  tafte,  accompanied  with  an  aro- 
matick  flavour,  not  of  the  molt  agreeable  kind.  An 
effential  oil  is  obtained  from  them  by  diftillation. 

The  Jews  fowed  it  in  their  fields  and  threfhed  it 
out  with  a  rod.  Ifai.  xxviii.  25,  27.  The  Maltefe 
fow  it,  and  colled  the  feed  in  the  fame  manner. 

CYPRESS.  A  large  evergreen  tree.  The  wood 
is  fragrant,  very  compact,  and  heavy.  It  fcarcely 
ever  rots,  decays,  or  is  worm  eaten  ;  for  which  rea- 
fon  the  ancients  ufed  to  make  the  flatues  of  their 
gods  with  it.  Ifai.  xliv.  14.  The  unperifhable  chefb, 
which  contain  the  Egyptian  muminies,  were  of  cy- 
orefs.*  The  gates  of  St.  Peter’s  church  at  Rome, 
which  had  lafled  from  the  time  of  Conftantine  to 
that  of  Pope  Eugene  the  fourth,  that  is  to  fay  eleven 
hundred  years,  were  of  cyprefs,  and  had  in  that  time 
fuffered  no  decay. 

But  Celfius  thinks  that  Xfaiah  fpeaks  of  the  Hex,  a 
kind  of  oak  :  And  Bifhop  Lowth  that  the  pine  is  in¬ 
tended.  The  cyprefs,  however,  was  more  frequent¬ 
ly  ufed,  and  more  fit  for  the  purpofe,  the  prophet  men¬ 
tions,  than  either  of  thofe  trees. 

f 

DATE.  An  oblong  fruit,  in  the  form  of  acorns; 
and  compofed  of  a  dufky  yellow  fkin,  with  a  fat, 
firm,  fweet  pulp.  The  tree  that  produces  them  grows 
in  Arabia,  Syria,  Perfia,  &c.  They  are  commonly 
eaten  by  the  inhabitants  of  Egypt,  and  other  parts  of 
Africa;  it  being  their  principal  food  in  fome  places. 

[See  Palm-tree,~\  DEER. 

#  And,  according  to  Thucidides,  the  Athenians  burled  the  bodies 
ef  their  heroes  in  coffins  of  this  wood,  as  being  not  fubjedt  to  deo}* 


of  THi  BIBLE, 


8»r' 

DEER.  A  four  footed  animal,  with  parted  hoofs  ; 
branched  horns,  which  are  folid,  and  fhed  every  year. 
But  Volnev  fays  that  the  flag  and  deer  are  unknown 
in  Syria. 

We  are  authorized  by  mofl  tranflations  in  adopt¬ 
ing  the  probable  opinion  that  this  is  the  voild  ox*  or 
bekker  el  <vafh  of  the  Arabs,  the  animal  called  in  He¬ 
brew  yachmur  ;  Deut.  xiv.  5.  1  Kings,  iv.  23.  which 
is  about  as  large  as  our  flag,  -or  red  deer,  *and  of  the 
fame  colour.  The  flefh  is  very  fweet,  and  nouri fil¬ 
ing,  f 

> 

DIAMOND.  The  mofl  hard  and  valuable  of 
gems. 

It  is  called  in  Hebrew  jakalom,  from  the  root  lalam , 
which  hgnifies  to  break .  Whence  ha’nruth  is  a  ham¬ 
per,  or  maul,  judges,  v.  27.  For  the  diamond  being 
he  hardefl  of  all  flones  breaks  them  all,  but  is  brok¬ 
en  b  y  none.  [See  Adama n  t  J 

DOE.  The  female  deer. 

When  the  Arabians  intend  to  deferibe  a  beautv, 

S' 

hey  make  ule  of  feveral  fimilitudes.  They  compare 
ler  face  to  the  mild  majelly  of  the  moon,  &c,  &c.  A- 
nong/l  others,  a  moll  remarkable  and  common  expref- 
ion  of  this  kind  is,  when  they  compare  her  eyes  to 
hole  of  a  rock  goat,  which  is  a  very  common  animal 
n  Syria  and  Palefline.  Haffelquift  thinks  this  com- 
larilon  more  remarkable,  becaufe  Solomon,  in  hisCarr- 
icles,  ufes  fome,  taken  from  the  fame  animal  ;  and  con- 
ludes  that  we  have  every  reafon  to  fuppofe,  the  doe  of 
he  royal  lover,  the  rock  goat.  The  beauty  of  the  ani- 
ral,  its  being  common  in  the  countries  where  Solo¬ 
mon 

*  The  Bubaius.  f  Shaw’s  Travels,  Sappl.  p.  74. 


/ 


82 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


mon  wrote  his  books,  and  finally,  the  cuftom,  which 
has  continued  to  this  day  the  fame,  are  all  circum- 
iiances  which  help  to  confirm  us  in  this  opinion. 

DOG.  A  domedick  animal,  with  which  we  are 
very  well  acquainted.  By  the  law  it  was  declared 
unclean,  and  was  very  much  defpiled  among  the 
Jews,  The  molt  offenfive  expredion  they  could  ufe 
was  to  compare  a  man  to  a  dead  dog .  1  Sam.  xxiv, 

14.  2  Sam.  ix.  8. 

Figuratively  it  denotes  contempt,  1  Sam.  xvn»  43* 
Bitter  and  fierce  enmity,  Pfal.  xxii.  16,  Once  it  al¬ 
ludes  to  watching  and  guarding  a  flock,  Lai.  lx,  iO» 


DOVE.  The  tame  pigeon.  ■ 

Declared  by  the  law  of  Mofes  to  be  pure. 

The  dove  is  ufed  in  icripture  as  the  fymbol  of 
Simplicity,  innocency,  gentlenels,  canaour,  and  fidel¬ 
ity.*  [See  Pigeon.'] 

Job's  elded  daughter  was  named  Jemima ,  probably 
from  the  Arabick  name  of  a  dove,  dnis  name  was 
given  to  women  of  the  greated  beauty  in  the  Ead  , 
So  Semiramis  had  her  name  from  Jemir  jemamah ,  the 
brown  dove .  For  the  fame  reafon  the  dove  was  made 
the  bird  of  Venus  ;  and  we  find  it  placed  on  the  head 
of  the  Dea  Syria ,  whom  the  oriental  imagined,  as  Lu¬ 
cian  fays,  to  be  the  fame  with  Semiramis  ;  and  it  ap¬ 
pears  by  medals  that  fhe  wa^s  the  lame  with  A  phi  oditey 
and  with  the  mater  dearum  ;  and  the  fame  bird  is  h^.r 
condant  attendant  when  reprefented  under  thofe  cha¬ 


racters.* 


DOVES ‘DUNG. 


*  Coftard,  DUT.  on  the  Mythological  Aftron.  of  the  Ancients  :  And 
Heath  on  Job,  p.xxxiv. 


**  -  ■  .  . 


\ 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


*3 


DOVE'S-DUNG.  2  Kings,  vi.  25. 

Bochart  obferves*  that  the  Arabians  give  the  name 
of  dove's-dung ,  or  [par row’s  dung,  to  a  kind  of  mofs 
which  grows  upon  trees  or  ftony  ground,  alio  to  a 
kind  of  pulfe  or  peafe,  which  was  common  in  Judea, 
as  may  be  feen  2  Sam.  xvii.  28. — This  fhould  there¬ 
fore  be  tranflated — u  and  three  quarters  of  a  pint  of 

pulfe,” 

DOVE’S-EYES.  Canticles.  To  conceive  the 
force  of  the  companion,  we  mud  not  refei  it  to  our 
common  pigeons,  but  to  the  large  and  beautiful  eyes 
of  the  doves  of  Syria.  1  hey  who  have  feen  that  fine 
eaftern  bird  the  carrier  pigeon ,  will  need  no  commenta¬ 
ry  on  this  place. 

DRAGON •  This  word  is  frequently  to  be  met 
with  in  our  Englifh  tranflation  of  the  bible.  It  an- 
fwers  generally  to  the  Hebrew  thannim  or  thannin , 
and  tannotA 

The  Rev.  James  Hurdis,  in  a  differtation  relative 
to  this  fubjeft,  J  obferves  that  the  word  tranflated  whale 
in  Gen.  i.  21.  occurs  twenty  feven  times  in  feripture  ; 
and,  with  much  ingenuity,  attempts  to  prove  that,  it 
every  where  lignifies  the  crocodile.  I  hat  it  fome- 
times  hath  this  meaning,  he  thinks  is  clear,  from  Ezek. 
xxix.  3.  Beheld  1  am  again ft  thee  Pharaoh  King  of  Egypt> 
the  great  dragon,  \janniwl~\  that  Ixeth  inihemidji  of  his  rivers^ 
Sc c.  ^  For  what  could  a  King  of  Egypt  be  more  pi  o- 
perly  compared  to,  than  the  great  crocodile  that  lieth 
in  the  midll  of  his  rivers  P 

The 

*  Hifroz.  T.  2.  l.i.  c.  7.  f  Lament,  iv.  >  xx.  Maiach.  1.  3. 

%  2vo.  Lond.  1790, 


*4  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

The  fame  argument  he  draws  from  Ifai.  li.  p.  g  Art 
thou  not  it  that  hath  cut  Rahab  (Egypt)  and  wounded  the 
crocodile  ? 

From  this  ground  the  author  proceeds  to  explain 
M  the  other  paflages  ;  and  finds,  that,  though  in  one 
or  two  indances  there  is  reafon  to  hefitate,  yet  upon 
the  whole,  it  is  probable,  that  wherever  this  an¬ 
imal  £ thannim ,  ££<;.]  is  mentioned,  it  is  the  crocodile  ; 
and  therefore  Gen.  i.  21.  fhould  be  rendered  great 
crocodiles ,  or  the  great  crocodiles.* 

FI  is  entire  remarks  upon  Ifai.  xxxv.  7.  will  doubt- 
lefs  be  acceptable.  The  parched  ground  fnall  become  a 
pool ,  and  the  thirfly  land  fprings  of  water  :  In  the  habita¬ 
tion  of  dragons ,  where  each  iay:fnal  be  grafs  with  reeds  and 
rujhes.  ^  What  can  be  clearer  than  that  the  croco¬ 
dile  is  the  fubje<d  of  the  latter  part  oFthis  verfe  ?  In 
this  chapter,  one  of  the  moll  beautiful  ciTufions  of  a 
fervid  and  infpired  imagination,  the  prophet  is  figur¬ 
atively  deferibing  the  redemption  of  man,  by  the  re¬ 
moval  of  every  thing  grievous  to  him,  and  the  accef- 
fion  of  every  thing  pleafant.  The  wildernefs  is  to 
become  a  garden,  and  to  bloffom  as  the  role  ;  it  is  to 
blofibm  abundantly,  and  to  rejoice  even  with  joy  and 
finging  ;  it  is  to  break  forth  with  dreams,  and  to  be¬ 
come  pools  and  fprings  of  waters.  And  thefe  waters 
are  to  be  without  danger,  for  not  only  the  crocodile 
(hall  not  be  found  in  them,  but  the  very  fear  of  him 
Is  to  vanifh. ;  he  is,  it  fesms,  to  be  forever  removed, 
and  the  habitation  where  he  laid  is  to  become  grafs  with 
reeds  and  rujhes .  Here  it  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  the 
crocodile  was  always  confidered  as  an  inhabitant  of 
the  wildernefs.  And  Rich  he  might  well  be  deemed  ; 

for 

*  Aaafytica! Review  for  0 £L  i79c* 


6F  the  BIBLE. 


€6 

fot  the  d& farts,  as  the  reader  may  fee  in  Mr.  Irwin’s 
charts,  came  very  near  to  the  banks  of  the  Nile;  and 
we  may  naturally  fuppefe  he  would  frequent  thofe 
fliores  of  his  river  which  were  defolate  and  not  cul¬ 
tivated,  becaufe  there  he  would  be  lead  moleflecL 
Accordingly,  in  Mai.  i.  3.  he  is  filled,  the  crocodile  oj 
the  wilder nefs.  Again,  in  Jfai.  xliii.  20.  the  leafs  of  the 
field Jhaib  honour  me,  the  crocodiles ,  and  the  daughters  of  the 
clinch,  hecauje  1  give  zvaters  in  the  zvildernefs,  And  a- 
*gain,  Ezek*  xxix.  4.  where  hooks  aie  to  be  put  into 
his  jaws,  and  he  is  to  be  brought  up  out  of  the  midft 
of  his  rivers,  it  is  as  follows,  and  I  twill  leave  thee  thrown 
into  the  zvildernefs.  When  the  ciocodile  thus  delight¬ 
ed  in  unfrequented  places,  it  will  not  appear  wonder¬ 
ful  that  he  fhould  choofe  tha  ruins  of  old  deferted 
towns  and  cities,  which  were  near  rivers  and  lakes, 
for  his  efpecial  abode  when  cut  of  the  water.  Of 
Babylon,  therefore,  it  might  properly  be  faid,  Iidi* 
xiii.  22.  that,  when  fhe  became  defolate  the  crocodiles 
fiould  cry  in  her  pkafant  palaces  ;  and  jer,  li.  37.  that  fhe 
fhould  be  a  dwelling  place  for  crocodiles.  And  from 
hence,  poflibly,  tne  prophets  of  the  old  teflament 
borrowed  a  figurative  exprefhon,  and  faid  of  every 
city  that  was  to  be  utterly  deftroyed,  that  it  fhould 
become  a  den  oj  crocodiles,  and  a  court  for  the  daughters 
of  the  of  rich .*  For  it  does  not  appear,  I  think",  that 
thefe  places  were  acceffible  to  the  crocodile,  efpecial- 
1y  the  mountains  of  Efau  ;  and  perhaps  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  Babylon  itfelf  was  ever  its  habita¬ 
tion  ;  for  I  know  not  that  the  crocodile  is  to  be  found, 
in  the  river  Euphrates.  Should  it,  ho  weaver,  beinfifl- 
©d  on,  that  thefe  pahages  are  to  be  underflood  literal¬ 
ly, 

*  Jer.  Ix.  u.  x.  21.  xlix.  33*  Mal.i.  3. 

.  H 


86  The  NATURAL  HISTOR  Y 


ly,  it  mud  be  no  very  improbable  corje&ure  that, 

under  the  general  name  of  crocodile ,  the  Hebrews  might 

include  every  fpecies  of  lizard ,  in  the  fame  manner  as 

\ve,  under  the  general  name  of  lizard ,  include  the  cro¬ 
codile,” 

The  learned  Bifhop  Edward  Pocock  is  perfuaded  that 
tannim ,  Mic,  i.  8.  and  Mai.  i.  g.  means  Jackals.  He 
refers  to  an  ancient  Syriac  verfion,  to  an  Arabic  one 
by  Rabbi  Saadias,  and  to  the  manufeript  notes  of  R, 
Tanchum,  a  learned  Jew,*  as  juftifying  this  opinion. 
And  Dr.  Shaw  and  Mr.  Scott  think  the  fame  animals 
ipoken  of  by  the  fame  name  in  Job,  xxx,  2p.  and 
Jerem.  iv.  3.  [See  Jackal ,  Whale.] 

DROMEDARY.  A  fort  of  camel,  which  has  its 
name  from  a  Greek  word  which  fignifies  to  run3f  by 
reafo'n  of  its  fwiftnefs. 

The  only  obfervablc  diftinHion  between  it  and  the 
camel  is,  that  it  has  but  one  protuberance  on  the  back  ; 
and  indead  of  the  flow,  folemn  walk  to  which 
the  others  are  accuflomed,  it  paces,  and  is  generally 
believed  to  go  as  far  in  one  day  as  the  others  do  in 
three. t  Thofe  trained,  not  for  beads  of  burden,  but 
foiely  for  the  purpofes  of  travelling  or  war,  have  been 
known  to  travel  at  the  rate  of  thirty  leagues  a  day, 
though  bearing  each  two  or  three  foldiers,  with  their 
war  equipage. &  Yet  it  is  not  fo  much  the  quicknefs 
of  his  motions,  as  the  length  of  his  legs,  his  travelling 
■with'1  a  Ready,  equal  pace,  and  his  feldom  needing  to 
Hop  for  reft  or  refrefhment,  that  enables  this  animal 

to 


*  This  Rabbi  wrote  on  the  wbmle  Old  Teftament  in  Arabic,  part 
«f  whkh  the  Bifhop,  procured  from  the  Eaft. 

1J  -Apsu'ji). 


+ 

4* 


A  l 


Ruiicl’s  Aleppo,  p.  47. 


§  D’GbforM'Ie's  Effays,  p.  174 


— 


o-y  the  BIBLE. 


Sf 

to  perform  fuch  journies.  For  this  reafon  meffengers, 
who  require  hafte,  are  difpatched  upon  dromedaries  : 
As  in  Either,  viii.  x.  They  are  governed  by  a  bri¬ 
dle,  which,  being  ufually  faftened  to  a  ring  fixed  in 
the  nofe,  may  very  well  illultrate  that  exprefiion, 
2  Kings,  xix.  28.  of  putting  a  hook  into  the  note  of 
Sennacherib,  and  may  be  further  applicable  to  his  rap¬ 
id  retreat. 

Jeremiah,  ii.  23.  properly  gives  the  epithet fwijt  to 
this  animal, 

EAGLE.  A  large  bird  of  prey  :  Differing  from 
the  hawk  by  its  bignefs,  and  from  the  vulture  by  the- 
crookednefs  of  its  beak. 

Its  fight  is  quick,  ftrong,  and  piercing,  to  a  prov¬ 
erb.  It  polfeffes  in  an  eminent  degree,  the  qualities- 
which  are  common  to  it  with  other  birds  of  prey  ;  as 
fiercenefs,  voraejoufnefs,  {Length  of  beak,  and  of  tal¬ 
ons,  It  flies  the  higheft  of  all  birds,  and  has  there¬ 
fore  been  called  the  bird  of  heaven. 

It  has  been  a  common  and  popular  opinion,  that 
the  eagle  lives  and  retains  its  vigour  to  a  gieat  age  ; 
and  that,  beyond  the  common  lot  of  other  birds,  it 
moults  in  its  old  age,  renews  its  feathers,  and  is 
reflored  to  vigour  and  to  youth.  This  fircumftance 
is  mentioned  in  Pfal.  ciii.  5,  and  Ifai.  xl.31.  Wheth¬ 
er  the  notion  is  in  any  degree  well  founded  or  not, 
we  need  not  enquire  :  It  is  enough  for  a  poet,  wheth¬ 
er  facred  or  prophane,  to  have  the  authority  of  popu¬ 
lar  opinion  to  fupport  an  image  introduced  for  illuf- 
Uation  or  ornament.  [See  Rachamah .] 

GIEREAGLE. 


V  •••*< 


•JcriQcr*. 


'88  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

GIEREAGLE.  Levit,  xi.  18.  and  Deut.  xiv.  iy. 
is  the  ach  bobba*  of  the  Arabians,  the  percnopterus  or 
oripdargus  of  the  naturalifls.  It  differs  but  little 
from  the  ffork,  excepting  in  its  white  plumage,  D.i\ 
Shaw  obferves  that  there  are  feveral  flocks  of  them 
near  Cairo,  which  feed  Hpon  the  carion  and  naffi- 
nefs  that  is  thrown  without  the  city.f  It  is  a  very 
harmlefs  and  inoffenfive  bird.  It  is  now  very  rarely 
met  with  :  B elides  thofe  in  Egypt,  they  are  found  in 
the  mountains  of  Greece,  and  the  neighbouring  parts 
of  Afia ;  but  in  no  great  numbers. 

The  figure  which  Gefner  hath  given  us  of  it,  is  a 
^ery  exadt  and  good  one.J 

ELEPHANT .  This  animal  is  dcfcribed  in  the  hi- 
ble  under  the  name  of  Behemoth.  [See  Behemoth. j 

The  elephant  is  well  known  as  the  lareeft,  and 
ftrongefl  of  quadrupeds.  An  elephant’s  body  has 
been  fometimes  found  to  weigh  four  thoufand  and 
five  hundred  pounds.  The  height  of  a  full  grown 
elephant  is  from  nine  to  fifteen  feet. 

The  trunk  is  a  remarkable  organ,  almofl  peculiar  to 
the  elephant ;  although,  indeed,  the  long,  dependent, 
and  flexible  fnout  of  the  tapiir  bears  fome  refem- 
blance  to  it.  It  is  a  cartilagenous  fubflance,  compoi- 
ed  of  numerous  rings,  terminating  in  a  finall  movea¬ 
ble  hook  like  a  finger  ;  and  having  the  noflrils  in  its 
extremity.  The  elephant  can,  at  pleafure,  contrafh 
or  dilate,  and  bend  it  in  any  direction.  The  fenfe 
of  feeling,  is  centred  in  this  organ  ;  and  is  as  delicate 
and  diflinfl  as  in  the  human  fpecies*  By  means  of 

this 

*  White  feather  :  A  name  given  It  from  the  colour  cf  its  plumage. 

f  Travels,  p.  38$,  J  Lib.  3  de  Avib,  p,  1 76. 


ikis  flexible  and  dexterous  organ  lie  lays  hold  of  ob¬ 
jects  ;  lifts  from  the  ground  the  fmalleft  pieces  of 
money  ;  felefcts  herbs  and  flowers,  and  picks  them  up 
one  by  one  ;  he  unties  the  knots  of  ropes,  opens  and 
{huts  gates  by  turning  the  keys  or  puffing  back  the 

bolts. 

Histufks  alfo  diftinguifh  the  elephant  in  a  lingular 
manner.  Neither  jaw  is  furnifhed  with  lore-teeth. 
Each  has  four  large  flat  grinders.  But,  in  the  upper 
are  two  enormous  tufk$,  of  a  lolid,  wnite,  and  fine^ 
grained  fubftance,  which,  as  they  proceed  from  the 
gums  in  which  they  are  rooted,  f i r (t  point  fonvaids, 
and  then  bend  flightly  upwards.  1  heie  aie  often  fe- 
ven  feet  long,  and  frequently  weigh  an  hundred  and 
fifty  two  pounds. 

It  is  not  eafy  to  convey  in  words  a  diflinft  idea  of 
the  form  of  any  animal.  Words  may  aflifh  the  ima- 
sgination  to  recal  a  form  with  which  it  is  already  fa¬ 
miliar  ;  but  fcarce  any  cleamefs  or  vigour  of  verbal 
defeription  will  give  tire  mind  a  flrong  and  drifting 
imprefiion  of  an  image  entirely  new  to  it.  In  at¬ 
tempting  to  deferibe  the  elephant,  this  difficulty  is 
felt.  II is  eyes  are  fmall,  but  lively  ;  and  diflmguifh-, 
cd  from  thofe  of  all  other  animals  by  their  pathetic, 
fentimental,  expreffion.  His  ears  are  long,  broadr 
and  pendulous;  his  neck  is  fhort,  his  back  conhdera- 
bly  arched  ;  his  legs  thick,  cLumfy,  and  fhapelefs  ; 
his  feet  undivided,  but  having  their  margins  terminat¬ 
ed  by  five  round  hoofs  ;  his  tail  fimilar  to  the  tail  of 
a  hog,  and  fringed  at  the  extremity  with  a  few  long 
hairs  of  the  thicknefs  of  a  packthread.  The  female 
has  two  fmall  teats, placed*  a  little  behind  the  forelegs. 
The  body  is  bare. 


/ 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

The  manners  of  this  animal  are  naturally  mUd  and 
inoffendve.  As  he  never  makes  an  attack  but  when 
he  receives  an  injury,  he  is  univerfally  beloved  ;  and 
all  animals  refpebt,  becaufe  none  have  anv  reafon  to 
fear  him.  He  is  nourifhed  on  vegetable  food  ;  fruits, 
leaves,  branches,  and  even  young  trees,  corn  and  oth¬ 
er  grains,  which  he  devours  in  large  quantities. 

The  elephant  grows  flow fy,  and  is  fuppofed  to  live 
to  a  great  age.  The  ordinary  term  of  his  life  is  at 
lead  between  one  and  two  hundred  years*  With  his 
trunk,  this  animal  utters  occafionally  a  found  like  that 
of  a  trumpet.  When  enraged  or  alarmed,  his  voice, 
which  feems  to  proceed  from  his  throat  and  mouth,  is 
a  wild  Lb  rill  note,  which  pierces  the  human  heart 
with  unfpeakable  terror.  His  fenfe  of  hearing  is 
quick.  He  delights  in  the  found  of  indruments,  and 
feems  particularly  pleafed  with  mufick.  He  has  an 
exquifite  duelling  ;  and  is  padionately  fond  of  per¬ 
fumes  of  all  forts,  and  of  fragrant  flowers.  By  a  pufh 
of  his  body  he  makes  a  breach  in  a  wall.  With  his 
trunk  he  tears  up  trees.  To  this  prodigious  drength 
he  adds  courage,  prudence,  and  coolnefs  of  deport¬ 
ment. 

Plains,  foreds,  and  gently  rifing  hills,  are  the  fa¬ 
vourite  abodes  of  the  elephant.  He  is  a  native  of  A~ 
fia  and  Africa .  He  cannot  bear  the  heat  of  the  tor¬ 
rid  regions  under  the  line  ;  but  is  dill  more  impa- 
tient  of  cold.  All  the  elephants  imported  into  Eu¬ 
rope,  however  liberally  fed,  and  carefully  managed, 
have  perifhed  by  a  premature  death.  At  Peterjburgh , 
though  clothed  and  kept  in  houfes  warmed  by  doves, 
they  could  not  bear  the  feverity  of  the  climate.  The 
fpecies  are  diffufed  over  the  whole  continents  of  Afm 

and 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


91 

and  Africa ,  except  where  intenle  heat,  or  extreme 
cold,  or  uniform  cultivation,  and  the  hoftilities  of 
mankind,  keep  them  at  a  diftance. 

They  live  in  (mail  tioops,  or  diftinQ;  families.  The. 
old  ones  often  hand  while  they  Deep.  In  wan¬ 
dering  from  place  to  place,  the  males,  who  are  armed 
with  the  larged  tufk'S,  put  thefcifalves  at  the  head  of 
the  troops.  Thefe  are  the  fir  ft  to  face  every  difticul- 
tv.  In  fwimming  over  any  large  river,  thefe  lead  the 
van.  and  feek  out  a  landing  place  ;  next  follow  the 
young  elephants  that  have  not  yet  attained  their  full 
growth,  clinging  together  by  the  trunks  ;  the  reft  of 
the  full  grown  bring  up  the  rear.  A  folitary  elephant, 
who  feems  to  have  been  expelled  from  the  herd  to 
which  he  belonged,  is  fometimes  met  with  in  the 
woods.  Such  a  vagabond  is  uncommonly  fierce  and 
dangerous.  The  enormous  bulk  of  the  elephant  ren¬ 
ders  his  air  grave  and  ftupvd,  and  all  his  motions  flow, 
To  avoid  danger,  or  attack  an  enemy,  an  elephant 
lengthens  and  quickens  his  ftep,  fo  as  to  keep  up  with 
a  horfe  at  a  brifk  gallop,  but  not  at  full  fpeed. 

Mankind  have,  in  all  ages,  been  at  great  pains  in 
taming  elephants.  They  arc  caught  in  the  forefts  by 
artifice,  dexterity,  ftrength,  and  terror.  They  are  fub- 
dued  by  threats  ;  and  domefticated  by  kind  treatment 
and  careffes.  And  they  are  rendered,  at  iaft,  traftable 
and  fubmidive.  When  Alexander  penetrated  into  In . 
cka,  the  natives  oppefed  him  upon  tame  elephants, 
whom  they  had  trained  to  military  difeipline.*  The 
Greek  f9 'who  at  hi  ft  beheld  them  with  terror,  after  tri¬ 
umphing  over  the  nations  of  the  eaft,  introduced 
them  into  their  own  armies.  Either  a  part  of  thefe 

very 

*  CuRtias*  lib.  viii.  cap,  13, 14. 


f 


£2r .  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

very  elephants,  which  Alexander  brought  from  India 9 
or  others  brought  foon  after  into  Greece ,  were  carried 
by  Pyrrhus  into  Italy ,  when  he  went  to  oppofe  the  Ro- 
mans .*  His  elephants,  with  the  Macedonian  tallies, 
rendered  him,  at  firft,  no  unequal  match  to  the  war¬ 
riors  of  Rome .  But  Roman  difcipline,  and  Roman  mag¬ 
nanimity  foon  triumphed  over  his  military  fkilJ,  and 
his  gigantic  cavalry.  Elephants  were  often  after 
that  exhibited  at  Rome .  The  Carthaginians ,  as  well  as. 
Pyrrhus ,  found  them  but  weak  aidsagainfl  Roman  val¬ 
our.  In  the  circus  they  were  at  ftrfi  driven  about, 
and  {lain  with  darts.  They  were  afterwards  oppof- 
ed  to  bulls,  and  to  the  rhinoceros.  Piiny  relates  that 
a  number  of  elephants,  exhibited  in  the  circus  by 
Pompey ,  when  they  found  themfelves  deftined  to  im¬ 
mediate  death,  made  a  vigorous,  but  ineffeflual  effort 
to  break  through  the  iron-railing  in  which  they  were 
inclofed  5  Fruitrated  in  the  attempt,  they,  with  a 
wailing  voice,  and  in  a  fuppliant  pollute,  feemed  to 
implore  the  compaftion  of  the  fpe&ators  ;  and  fo  im- 
pulfively  were  the  whole  people  affefted  with  the  dif- 
trefs  and  the  fenfibility  of  thofe  majeltic  animals, 
that  they  with  one  aifent  arofe,  and  in  tears  imprecat¬ 
ed  deftru&ion  on  the  head  of  the  magnificent  general 
who  entertained  them  with  that  fplendid  fpe&acle  ; 
imprecations,  fays  the  hiftorian,  which  foon  after  took 
effedl. 

The  fuccelfors  of  Alexander  appear  to  have  long 
continued  the  ufe  of  elephants  in  their  armies.  One 

of 

*  M.  de  Buff  on  and  Mr,  Pennant  areof  opinion,  that  the  elephants 
%hich  Pyrrhus  carried  again#  the  Remans  mu#  have  been  a  part  of 
thofe  which  Alexander  brought  from  India .  This  was  not  neeefiary. 
The  inccrcourfe  between  Greece  and  India  was  #111  open.  Elephants, 

well  asivory,  h«3  probably  become  an  article  of  commerce. 


m 


Of  THE  BIBL  E,  90. 

of  the  brave  Jtwijk-  brothers,  the  Maccabees,  terminat¬ 
ed  his  life  in  a  glorious  manner,  by  piercing  the  bel¬ 
ly  of  an  elephant,  in  the  army  of  one  of  thole  mon- 
archs  fighting  againit  bis  countrymen,  with  a  deadly 
wound,  and  differing  himfelf  to  be  crufhed  to  death 
under  the  falling  trial's.  Elephants  trained  to  war  a- 
mong  the  Greek f,  had  turrets  railed  on  their  backs, 
from  which  troops  of  armed  men  annoyed  the  enemy  ; 
while  a  pet  foil  fitting  on  the  neck,  direded  the  mo¬ 
tions  of  the  elephant,  and  animated  him  to  fight  with 
his  trunk.  But  when  feared  or  wounded,  they  dif- 
dained  all  government,  and  fpread  confulion,  not  lef$ 
readily  among  their  friends,  than  through  the  adverfe 
army. 

A  tame  elephant  is  pet  haps  the  molt  docile,  gentle, 
and  obedient  of  all  animals.  He  forms  an  attach¬ 
ment  to  his  keeper  ;  comprehends  figns  ;  learns  to 
diitinguifh  the  various  tones  of  the  human  voice, 
as  expreflive  of  anger,  approbation  or  command  ;  is 
even  capable  of  being  taught  to  underhand  the  im¬ 
port  of  articulate  language;  adopts,  in  many  inftances, 
the  manners  and  the  fentiments  of  mankind  ;  difeov- 
ers  a  fenfe  of  probity  and  honour,  and  experts  to  be 
honeftly  dealt  with  ;  relents  every  affront  with  force 
and  dignity  ;  is  generous,  grateful,  patient,  magnani¬ 
mous,  and  humane.  Like  mankind,  the  elephant  is 
fond  of  gorgeous  trappings,  and  gay  attire. 

Hiltorians  and  travellers  relate  many  tales  concern* 
ing  the  prudence,  penetrating  fagacity,  and  obliging 
temper  oi  the  elephant,  which  can  fcarce  appear  cred¬ 
ible.  The  ancients  have  alcribed  to  this  fpecies  fen- 
timents  of  religion,  and  the  tendered  emotions  of  fo? 
ciai  aifedion,  They  pradife,  fay  forne  ancient  nat*. 

ur^bftsj 


i 


94  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

uralids, 'rites  of  ablution  with  religious  folemnity  ; 
they  venerate  the  lun  and  moon,  and  the  other  pow¬ 
ers  of  heaven  ;  they  are  endowed  with  a  fpirlt  of  div¬ 
ination,  and  tneir  forefight  penetrates  through  the 
raids  which  veil  futurity  :  His  ft  lows  gather  around  a- 
dying  elephant,  cheer  his  lafi  moments  <zvith  Jriendly  fympa-. 
thy  and  kind  offices ,  bede<vj  his  corpfe  with  their  tears ,  andde - 
pejit  it  decent iy  in  the  grave.  A  modern  traveller  relates 
a  no  lefs  wonderful  dory*;  that  when  a  wild  ele¬ 
phant  is  taken,  and  his  feet  tied,  the  hunters  accod 
him,  make  apologies  for  binding  him,  and  promife  him 
the  faired  ufage  ;  upon  which  the  elephant  becomes 
perfectly  fatisfied  with  his  change  of  condition,  and 
follows  his  new  maders  quietly  home.  Did  this  dory 
aferibe  to  the  elephant  no  more  than  human  fagacity, 
and  human  placidity  of  temper,  I  fhould  no  prefume 
to  quedion  its  truth.  But  it  fuppofes  him  endowed 
with  an  intuitive  knowledge  of  human  languages,  and, 
at  the  fame  time,  attributes  to  him  a  degree  of  dmple 
credulity  inconfident  with  his  penetration,  and  a 
tamenefs  of  fpirit  derogatory  from  his  dignity  of 
mind. 

But  many  more  plaufible  anecdotes  arc  told  of  him. 
When  he  wifhes  merely  to  terrify  any  perfon,  he 
runs  upon  him  with  an  afpedt  of  fury,  but  dops  when 
near,  without  infli&ing  any  injury.  He  lades  a  boat 
in  a  river  with  amazing  dexterity,  carefully  keeping 
all  (he  articles  dry,  and  difpofing  them,  fo  that  their 
arrangement  needs  not  to  be  changed.  In  raifing 
wheeled  carriages,  heavily  loaded,  up  a  declivity,  he 

pudies 

*  Pere  Vincent  Marie,  Voyages  de  !a  Compagnie  des  Indes  da 
HolUnde,  t.  i.  p.  413,  quoted  by  Bufron,  vi.  79  j  anJ  by  Saisliie,  in 
Us  Philofopby  of  Natural  Hiftorv,  440, 


6?  the  BIBLE, 


96 

"pushes  the  carriage  forward  with  his  front,  advances, 
fupports  it  with  his  knee,  and  renews  his  effort.  If 
dragging  a  beam  of  wood  along  the  ground,  he  re¬ 
moves  obftacles,  to  make  it  run  fmoothly  and  eafily, 

M.  D’Oh/onville  relates  an  anecdote  of  an  elephant 
which  reprefents  him  in  a  very  amiable  light.  In  the 
Laknaor ,  the  capital  of  Soubah ,  during  the  rage  of  an 
epidemick  di  {temper,  the  principal  road  to  the  palace 
gate  was  covered  with  Tick  and  dying  wretches,  ex¬ 
tended  on  the  ground,  and  incapable  of  removing,  at 
a  time  when  the  Nabob  was  to  pafs  on  his  elephant. 
The  indifference  of  the  prince  about  the  lives  of  his 
perifhing  fubjefts,  the  hade  with  which  he  was  to 
pafs,  and  the  awkward  motions  and  heavy  heps  of  the 
elephant,  teemed  to  threaten  inevitable  death  to  a 
number  of  thofe  unhappy  wretches.  But  the  gener¬ 
ous  quadruped,  without  receiving  any  command  to 
the  purpofe,  and  even  without  hacking  his  pace,  very 
dexteroufly  aflided  the  poor  creatures  with  his  trunk, 
removing  feme,  raifing  others,  and  ftepping  over  the 
red  ;  fo  that  none  differed  the  {lighted  injury. — ^  In 
what  is  an  animal,  capable  of  fuch  pr  udence,  fuch  dex¬ 
terity,  and  fuch  gentle  humanity,  inferiour  to  man  ? 
In  this  aft  ion,  both  intelligence  and  virtue  confpicu- 
oudy  appear. 

Elephants  are  more  influenced  by  u  regard  to  the 
confequences  of  their  aftions  than  almoA  any  other 
domedicated  animals,  On  the  promife  of  a  reward, 
they  are  often  induced  to  extraordinary  exertions  of 
ingenuity  and  ftrength.  They  are  faid  to  be  particu¬ 
larly  fond  of  wine  ;  and  it  is  frequently  offered  them  to 
induce  them  to  perform,  and  to  reward  exertion.  We 

find 


96  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

iind  it  ufed  in  this  manner,  fucccfsfullyv  in  the  wars  of 
the  Maccabees.* 

The  talks  of  the  elephant  have  long  been  applied, 
under  the  denomination  of  ivory,  to  a  variety  of  im¬ 
portant  ufes,  in  the  arts.  Ivory  is  a  material  as  well 
far  the  Fine,  as  for  the  mechanick  arts* 

ELM.  [Hebrew  alah,  and  alim.~ j  This  particular 
Lind  of  tree  is  fpeken  of  in  Ifai.  i.  2p.  36  ;  and  in 
Plofea  iv.  13.  In  both  thefe  places  Cclftus  under- 
ftands  it  of  the  terebinth  :  Becaufe  moft  of  the  an¬ 
cient  interpreters  render  it  fo  ;  in  the  hr  ft  place  the 
heptuagint.  He  quotes  eight  places  ;  but  in  three  of 
thefe  places  the  copies  vary,  lom-e  having  in- 

ftcad  of  Tf^Sii'Scr., J  And  he  ftiould  have  told  us 
that  the  fame  lxx  render  it  in  fixteen  other  places  by 
:  So  that  their  authority  is  really  againft  him. 
Add  to  this  that  Symmachus,  Theodotion,  and  Aqui- 
la,  generally  render  it  by  •  the  latter  only  once 
rendering  it  by  Tsp&wvog.  His  other  arguments  fsem 
not  very  conclufive,  fays  Bifnop  Lowth.^  He  lavs 
that  all  the  qualities  of  alah  agree  to  the  terebinth  ;  that 
it  grows  in  mountainous  countries;  that  it  is  a  ftrong 
^tree ;  longlived ;  large  and  high  ;  and  deciduous. 
All  thefe  properties  agree  juft  as  well  to  the  oak,  a- 
gainft  which  he  contends  ;  and  he  actually  attributes 
them  to  the  oak  in  the  very  next  lefhon.  But, 
neither  the  oak  nor  the  terebinth  will  do  in  the 
place  of  Ifaiah  referred  to  above,  from  the  laft  cir- 
tumftance  that  he  mentions,  their  being  deciduous  ; 
where  the  prophet’s  defign  feems  to  require  an 

evergreen : 

o 

*  i  Maecab.  vi.  34.  f  The  sal* 

J  The  terebinth ,  or  turpentine  trek*  §  Notes  on  Ifai.  i.  29,3c* 


\ 


er  the  BIBLE,  qy 

evergreen  :  Otherwife  the  calling  of  its  leaves  would 
be  nothing  out  of  the  common  eftablifhed  courfe  of 
nature,  and  no  proper  image  of  extreme  diftrefs,  and 
total  defolation  ;  parallel  to  that  of  a  garden  without 
water,  that  is,  wholly  burnt  up  and  deftroyed.  An 
ancient,  who  was  an  inhabitant  and  a  native  of  this 
country,  underftands,  in  like  manner,  of  a  tree  bias¬ 
ed  with  uncommon  and  immoderate  heat.*  Com¬ 
pare  Pfal.  i.  4.  Jer,  xvii.  8.  Upon  the  whole  the  Bifh- 
op  has  chofen  to  make  it  the  ilex;  which  word  Vof- 
fius,  derives  from  the  Hebrew  alah  ;  that  whether  the 
word  itfelf  be  rightly  rendered  or  not,  he  might  at 
leaft  preferve  the  propriety  of  the  poetical  imape. 

[See  Ilex ,  Oak.J 

EMERALD.  A  mod:  beautiful  gem  ;  tranfpar- 
ent,  and  of  a  lively  grafs  green,  without  the  lead:  ad¬ 
mixture  of  any  other  colour.  It  is  fecond  only  to 
the  diamond  in  luftre  and  value. 

^This  precious  ftone  was  the  firft  in  the  fecond  row 
of  the  Jewifh  High  Prieft's  peftoral  :t  And  is  to  be 
tne  fourth  in  the  foundation  of  the  new  Jerufalem.t 
The  Tyrians  traded  in  thefe  jewels  in  the  marts  of 

Syria. §  They  probably  had  them  from  India,  or 
th®  fouth  of  Perfia. 

FERRET.!)  A  fpecies  of  the  weafel.  It  has  a 
fnarp  nofe,  red  and  fiery  eyes,  and  round  ears.  The 
colour  of  its  whole  body  is  a  very  pale  yellow.  It 
meafures  about  fourteen  inches  ;  and  its  tail  only  five. 

It 

Syr.  in  loc.  edit.  AfTeman.  Exod.  xxviii.  ig, 

t  I^ev.  xxi.  19.  §Ezek.  xxvii.  16.  xxviii.  13. 

H  Tile  muftela  furo  of  the  Syft,  Nat.  The  viverra  of  Pliny, 

I 


^8  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

It  is  a  lively,  a&ive,  animal  ;  and  the  natural  ene¬ 
my  of  rabbits.  In  its  wild  Rate  it  inhabits  Africa  ; 


from  whence  it  was  originally  brought  into  Spain,  to 


free  that  country  from  the  multitudes  of  rabbits  with 
which  that  kingdom  was  overrun  ;  from  thence  the 
red  of  Europe  was  fupplied  with  it.* 

Bochart  will  have  the  anakah ,  Levit.  xi.  30.  to  be 
the  fpotted  lizard,  called  by  Pliny  Jttliio .  The  fep- 
tuagint  and  vulgate  verfion  make  it  the  wtaftl  moufe . 
Others  tran Rate  it  hedgehog ,  leech  or  falamandcr ,  &c. 
It  is  plain,  that  it  has  its  name  from  its  whining  noifei ; 
and  that  it  was  unclean  under  the  law. 

FIGTREE.J  This  tree  grows  naturally  in  the 
Levant  ;  where  it  becomes  Large,  dividing  into  many 
branches,  which  are  furnifhed  with  leaves  fhaped 
like  thofeof  the  mulberry.  It  affords  a  friendly  fhade 
in  thofe  hot  countries. 

The  fruit  it  bears  is  produced  from  the  trunk  and 
lar?e  branches,  and  not  from  the  fmaller  {hoots,  as  in 
moll  other  trees.  It  is  foft,  tweet,  and  very  nourifh- 


Fhe  tree  was  very  common  in  Palefline .  And, 


with  its  fruit,  is  frequently  mentioned  in  feripture. 

Milton  is  of  opinion  that  the  banian  tree}  was  that 
with  ivhofe  leaves  our  fitll  parents  made  thcmfelves 
aprons. Ij  But  his  account,  as  to  the  matter  of  faff, 
wants  even  probability  to  countenance  it.  For  the 
leaves  of  this,  are  fo  far  from  being,  as  he  has  deferibed 


them, 


*  Edinb.  Sy ft. 

Ficus, gen.  p 
§  Ficus  indica 


Cactus,  Lin.  gen*  plant.  539* 
Parad.  Left.  ix.  1102, 


0  F  T  II  E 


B  I  B  L  E. 


9» 


them,  of  the  bignefs  of  an  Amazonian  target  that 
they  feldom  or  never  exceed  five  inches  m  length  and 
three  in  breadth.  Therefore  we  mutt  look  for  anot 
cr  of  the  fig  kind,  that  better  anfwcrs  the  purpofe  re¬ 
ferred  to  by  Mofes ;  Gen.  iii.  7-  Ar‘d  as  the 
of  the  banana  tree*  is  often,  by  the  mott  ancient 
authorscalled  a  fig,  t  May  w.e  not  fuppofe  this  to  have 
been  the  figtree  of  Paradife  ?  Pliny,  deferring  this 
tree,  fays,  that  its  leaves  were  the  greatefl  and  mod 
'fhady  of  all  ot’ners.fi  And  as  the  leaves  of  tnele  are 
often  fix  feet  long,  and  about  two  broad  ;  are  thin 
and  very  flexible  they  may  be  deeemed  more  pro¬ 
per  than  any  for  the  coveting  fpoken  of:  Efpecially 
fince  they  may  be  eaf.ty  joined  together  with  the  nu¬ 
merous  thread-like  filaments  which  may  without  la¬ 
bour  be  peeled  from  the  body  of  the  tree.§ 

The  prophet  lfaiah|f  gave  orders  to  apply-  a  lump 
of  figs  to  Hezekiah’s  boil;  and  immediately  after  he 
was  cured.  And  phyficians  agiee  that.  figs  aie  em¬ 
ployed  with  good  fuccefs  in  bringing  impofthumss 
to  a  ripenefs,  and  healing  ulcers,  &c. 

A  paffage  which  infidelity  hath  much  cavilled  at,  Is 
fet  in  a  very  clear  light  by  Dr.  Markland — who,  as 
he  followed  Bifliop  Kidder’s  molt  ingenious  illultra- 

tion 

0  The  Egyptian  mauze.  Mufa,  Lin.  phir-t.  1010. 

-j*  Folium  habet  maximum  umbrofilTimumque.”  lib.  iS.  c.  2 6. 

£  They  are  ufed  for  napkins?  and  table  coverings,  at  the  prefent 
day.  Miller. 

§  So  Homer's  Ulyfies  covers  his  nakeJnefs  in  the  wood  5  Ody-f* 
vi.  127. 

<£  Then  where  the  grove  with  leaves  umbrageous  bends, 

With  forceful  hrength  a  branch  the  hero  rends  j 
Around  his  loins  the  verdant  cindture  fpreads 
A  wreathy  foliage  and  concealing  {hades,1*  Eroomi* 

H  Ifai.  xxxviii,  21.  2,  Kings,  xx.  7. 


ICO  The  NATURAL  His  T  ORY 

h0n  °f  the  Pall^e’  f>ank!y  acknowledged  the  obliVa. 
\,0n  ;  though  Dr.  Macknight,  under  the  fame  obliL 
non,  had  not  the  fame  candor.*  The  paffage  is  the 
following  in  Mark  xi.  13.  «  And  feeing  figtree 

afar  off  having  leaves,  he  came  if  haply  he  might  find 
any  thing  thereon  [and  when  he  came  to  it  he  found 
nothing  but  leaves]  for  the  time  of  figs  was  not  yet.” 

“By  toe  intervention  of  a  parenthefis,  undoubtedly 
conned  it  thus—/*  came  if  haply  he  might  find  any  thing 
thereon— for  the  time  of  gathering  figs  was  not  come.  Thus 
atth^vv  xxi.  34*  °  Ktxipog  rcok  >tecp7rwv>  the  time  for 
gathering  fruit.  Athen.  Deipnof.  1.  2.  p.  65.  ed. 

•!597-  *fa<rxopToci  f  avTcu  rep  tow  2TKT2N  KAIPX1 
tilV.  are  caHhtat  the  time  of  gathering  figs,  or  of  figs  being 
l'Pe's  anc" *nus  we  ca“  hopping  time  and  6  0  of  cherry  time,  the 
teafon  for  picking  hops  and  goofeberries.  The  interme¬ 
diate  words  See.)  are  to  be  placed  in  a 

parentneiis,  as  Gen.xiii.  10.  Numb.  xiii.  20.  23.  Jofh, 
xxiv,  26.  John  i.  14.  particularly  Mark  xvi.  3,  4, 
fl  a ojhall  rol.  away  the  ftone  ( and  when  they  looked  the  font 
was]  rolled  away)  for  it  was  great .  And  fo  Mark  ix. 
3.  as  It  fhould  be  printed, i  A  like  pofition  of  the 
parenthefis  fee  in  Luke  xx.  19.  scpo^hvrxy  roy 

A &w)  Mark  xii.  12.  ch,  xvi.  4.  John  iii.  24.  Jof. 
Antiq.  v.  8.  2.  Lucian  in  Zeuxide,  p.  582.  ed, 
Grsev.  Plut.  in  Pomp.  p.  620.  B.  Markland .  It  is  ob- 
jeded  by  Dr.  Whitby  and  others,  that  when  the  fig - 
tree  putteth  forth  leaves ,  the  fummer  is  nigh,  Math,  xxi  v, 
32,  and  this  tranfaftion  was  but  about  five  days  be- 

-v  fore 


2782 


*  Bowyei’s  crit.  conjed.  and  obf.  on  the  N.  Teft.  3d.  edit.  4 to, 

2„ 

1  Kidder  s  demonft,  of  the  Meffiah,  part,  ii,  ch,  2,  p,  ico.  8yo. 


op  the  BIBLE* 


id 

fere  the  paflover.  Matthew  (peaks  of  the  time  when 
the  generality  of  figtrees  put  forth  leaves ;  foi  1  liny 
tells  us,  there  were  different  fpecies  of  them,*  Pra~ 
cojes ,  Scrotincz,  and  Hytmalts  :  The  firft  cum  melfe  matu- 
ref  antibus .  To  which  Ifaiah  alludes,  ch.  xxviii.  4. 
The  glorious  beauty  of  Ephraim  Jhall  be  as  the  hr  It  ripe 
[fig] "before  the  jummer .  Now,  in  Judea  the  harveft 
began  at  the  paffover.  Whether  it  ended  at  Pente- 
coil,  as  Fagius  fuppofes,  or  when  the  wheat  harveft 
only  commenced,  as  Grotius,  may  be  a  matter  of  dif- 
pute.  See  Levit.  xxiii.  10.  15.  But  at  which  foever 
of  thefe  two  harvelts  figs  were  gathered,  we  may  con¬ 
clude,  that  they  were  of  fome  fize  at  the  paflovei  , 
eatable,  if  not  ripe.  In  a  country  where  all  kinds  of 
figs  grew£  our  Lord  came  to  a  tree,  which  he  hoped 
were  of  the  early  fort,  if  haply  he  might  find  figs  on 
it ;  for  it  had  leaves,  and  therefore  was  regularly  ex¬ 
pelled  to  have  fruit,  which  was  always  prior  to  them, 
Thofe  who  will  not  be  convinced  that  the  tree  fhould 
have  figs  on  it  at  the  time  of  the  paflover,  I  fend  to 
■Julian  the  Apoftate,  who  obferves,+  that  the  figtrees 
of  Damafcus,  particularly,  bore  figs  all  the  year 
round  ;  the  fail  year's  fruit  remaining  while  that  of 
the  next  fucceeded. 

About  Naples  they  have  figs  twice  a  year,  in  An- 
guff  or  September,  and  about  May  ;  thence  exprefsly 
called  Fico  di  Pafrfia ,  as  Mr.  Holdfworth  obferves  on 
Virg.  Georg.  II.  149,  150.  Dr.  Shaw,  in  his  travels,  J 
fays,  The  Boccores,  or  firft  ripe  figs,  in  1722,  were 

I  2  hard, 

*  Nat.  Hi  ft.  1.  xv»  c.  iS. 

-f  Epift.  xxiv.  p.  392.  in  Spanh'eim’i  verfton,  <(  Et  cum  caetera- 
rum  arborum  poma  exigui  temporis  fint,  neque  ajtatem  ferant:  Sola 
ficus  ultra  annum  vivit,  et  ftqucntU  frultus  ortum  comitattw.’' 

%  p.  246,  and  370. 


t02  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

hard,  and  no  bigger  than  common  plumbs  ;  though 
they  have  then  a  method  of  making  them  foft  and  pal- 
ataoie,  by  keeping  them  in  oil.  According  to  the 
quality  of  the  leaf  on  in  that  year,  the  firft  fruits 
could  not  have  been  offered  at  the  time  appointed, 
and  therefore  would  have  required  the  intercalating 
of  the  Vender,  and  poftponing  thereby  the  paffover  for 
at  xeaft  tne  fpace  of  a  month, ”  In  the  mod  back¬ 
ward  year,  tne  early  figs  were  of  fome  fize  in  fpring, 
and  kept  company  pretty  nearly  with  the  Paleftine 
harveft. — Mr.  To  up,  however,  {fill  looks  on  this 
place  as  a  glofs  of  fome  fciolift.* 

Mr,  S.  Wcfton,  though  he  confeffes  ‘theconfum- 
mate  knowledge  of  Mr.  Toup  in  the  Greek  language/ 
yet  juflly  oppofes  his  idea  of  an  interpolation.  4  How¬ 
ever  aukward  the  claufe  y^p  xocipoq  <rux« y)  may 
appear  to  be,  yet  it  is  neceffary  to  the  fenfe— at  lead 
the  emblematical  fenfe  of  the  pafFage.'  The  words 

Kceipog  «TJ>c«jq  or  “  fig  harved  was  not  yet/'  feem  to 
have  been  added,  to  {hew  that  early  fruit  was  expell¬ 
ed  of  a  tree  whole  leaves  were  didinguifhable  afar  off. 
and  whofe  fruit,  when  it.  bore  any,  preceded  the 
leaves.  Apply  this  to  the  nation.  Our  Saviour  nat¬ 
urally  expe&ed  in  Judea,  an  early  and  continued  in- 
creafe  of  piety  and  obedience  from  a  people  fpecious 
in  appearance,  whom  Gon  himfelf  had  planted,  and 
never  ceafed  to  water.  To  make  the  annual  and  cuf- 
tomary  returns,  was  yielding  no  more  than  a  drange 
land.  And  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  of  Mi- 
cab,  ch.  vii.  1.  My  foul  hath  longed  for  the  early  fig, 
nrran.  The  firft  ripe  figs  are  called  Boccores.f 

A  very 

f  See  Shaw,  ut  fvfra. 


*  Emend.  In  Suid.pari;  ii.  S 6, 


OF  THE  BIBLE# 


203 


A  very  ingenious  writer  in  the  Theological  RepoJUo - 
ry*  confidering  this  miracle  as  an  emblematical  represen¬ 
tation  of  the  deftrudion  that  was  fhortly  to  be  infill¬ 
ed  on  the  Jewifh  nation  for  its  unf ruitfulnefs,  ob- 
ferves  with  abundant  propriety,  “That  in  order  to 
fee  our  Lord’s  defign  in  working  it  in  a  proper  light, 
nve  rrtujl  confider  it  in  connexion  with  the  difcourfes  he  foon 
after  delivered  in  the  temple .  Jefus  knew  what  import¬ 
ant  and  awful  truths  he  was  to  deliver  to  the  people 
affembled  there,  and  defired  to  imprefs  them  deeply 
on  the  minds  of  his  own  difciples  in  particular.  He 
therefore  firfb  pronounced  a  fentence  of  deftrudion 
on  the  barren  figtree.  Next  morning,  after  the  dif¬ 
ciples  had  beheld  and  been  aftonifhed  at  the  full  ef- 
fedof  that  fentence,  he  went  with  them,  filled  with 
admiration  at  what  they  had  feen,  into  the  temple  ; 
and  after  having  filenced  the  cavils  of  the  chief 
priefts  and  elders,  delivered  the  three  parables  con¬ 
tained  in  Math.  xxi.  28. — ch.  xxii.  to  ver.  14.  Now, 
in  thefe  circumftances,  ^  what  impreffions  may  we  rea- 
fonably  imagine  to  have  been  made  on  the  minds  of 
the  difciples,  when  they  heard  their  mafler  deliver 
thefe  parables  with  an  awful  dignity,  and  even  feveri- 
ty  of  manner  ?  Efpecially  when  they  heard  him  ap¬ 
ply  the  firft  of  them  in  thefe  words,  Verily  1  fay  unto 
you ,  that  the  publicans  and  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
before  you — &c.  &c.  In  the  like  manner,  the  fecond 
parable  concluded  thus,  (ver,  43,  44  :)  Therefore ,  I  fay 
unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  J hall  be  taken  from  you ,  and 
given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof ,  &c.  &c» 
And  in  the  third  parable  are  thefe  words — But  when 
the  king  heard  thereof  he  was  wroth,  and  fent  forth  his  armies, 

*  and 

*  Vcl .  3.  p,  382, 


x&4  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

**d  deflroyed  thofe  murderers ,  and  burnt  up  their  city .  I 
%,  when  the  difciples  heard  thefe  things,  ^  How  mu  ft. 
they  have  been  affe&ed  with  them?  Could  they 
doubt  one  moment,  whether  what  they  had  feen  in 
the  morning  bore  a  relation  to  what  they  now  heard  ? 
or,  j  Whether  the  miracle  intended  to  exhibit  before¬ 
hand,  a  divine  alteration  of  the  certainty  of  the  de¬ 
nunciations  fuggefted  in  thefe  parables  ?” 

FIR’*  An  evergreen  tree,  of  beautiful  appear¬ 
ance,  whoie  lofty  height  and  denie  foliage  afford  a 
fpacious  fhelter  and  fhade. 

The  trunk  of  the  tree  is  very  ftrait.  Its  wood  a- 
bounds  with  a  gum  called  rofin. 

The  wood  was  anciently  ufed  for  fpears,  muficai1 
inftrumentsf,  furniture  for  houies,  for  building^,  and' 
materials  for  fhips, 

FITuHES.^  A  fort  of  pulfe  5  more  generally 
known  by  the  name  of  chick  pea.  It  is  a  creeping 
plant ;  with  a  frnall  reddifh,  and  fometimes  white, 
flower:.  Pods  like  thofe  of  peafe,  but  fhorter  and 
flenderer  ;  thefe  contain  round,  blackifh,  peas. 

But  Celflus|j,  and  after  him  Bifhop  Lowth^l,  thinks 
dill  fpoken  of  Ifai.  xxviii.  25,  27.  The  former  fays 
that  the  ancients  mixed  dillfeed  with  their  bread  to 
give  it  a  more  agreeable  relifh. 

The  word  tranflated  fitches,,  in  Eaek.  iv.  9.  (liould 
have  been  rendered  rice, 

FLAG.  A  water  plant,  with  broad  bladed  leaves 
and  yellow  flowers.  They  grew  by  the  Red  Sea,  and 

the 

*Pinusabies.  Lin.  Nah.  i'u  3.  2  5 am.  vi.  5. 

%  Cant’c.  1 .  17. 

§  Cicer,  Lin.  gen.  plant,  783.  Toutnef.  infL  R.  H.  tab.  210, 

U  Hierob.  p.  ii.  p,  70,  M,  tranil  of  Jfai, 


OF  Til 


s  BIBLE. 


105 

the  Nile,  Of  thefe  Jochebed  made  an  ark,  to  hold 

Mofes  her  infant.  Exod.  ii.  3*  5* 

In  Job  viii.  n.moft  probably  the  long- grafs,  or 
fedge,  in  the  meadows  of  the  Nile  ;  very  grateful  to 
cattle’,  and  proper  for  fattening  them.*.  The  fame 
is  wrongly  tranllated  meadow,  in  Len.  xli.  2,  18. 

[See  Reed,  Rufli. J 

FLAX.f  A  plant  very  common,  and  too  well 
known  to  need  a  defcription.  It  is  a  vegetable  upon 
which  the  induftry  of"  mankind  has  been  exerciled 
with  the  greateft  fuccefs  and  utility.  On  palling  a 
field  of  it.  one  is  Ifruck  with  ahonifnment  when  he 
con  fide  rs  that  this  apparently  infignificant  plant  may, 
by  the  ingenuity  and  labour  or  man,  be  made  to  af- 
fume  an  entirely  new  form  and  appearance,  and  to 
contribute  to  plealure  and  heaitn  by  turnifhing  us 
with  agreeable  and  ornamental  apparel. 

Ifaiah  in  predifting  the  gentlenefs  and  fweetnefs, 
the  caution  and  tendernefs,  with  which  the  Mefiiah 
fli all  manage  his  adrniniftration,  happily  illuflrates  it 
by  a  proverb  j  the  bruiftd  teed  he  Jhah  not  bytab,  the 
dimly  burning  flax  he  flail  not  quench .%  11  He  Jh all  not  break 

even  cl  bruifled  retd,  which  lnaps  alunder  immediately 
when  preffed  with  any  conliderable  weight  ;  nor  fhall 
he  extinguijh  even  the  fmoaking  flax,  or  the  wick  of  a 
lamp,  which,  when  it  fir  ft:  begins  to  kindle,  is  put 
out  by  every  little  motion  :  With  fuch  kind  and 
condefcending  regards  to  the  weakefl  of  his  people, 
and  to  the  Irrft  openings  and  fymptoms  of  a  hopeful 
character,  fhall  he  proceed,  till  he  fend  Jorth  judgement 

to 

*  Celf.  hierob.  p.  i.  p.  355. 

f  Linum,  Lin.  gen.  plant.  340,  Tournef.  ioft,  R.  H,  339, 
tab.  176, 

%  Ifai.  xJii «  3. 


i  o£  Th  e  NAT  U  R  A  L  H  I  S  T  O  R-Y 

to  vittory ,  or,  till  he  make  his  righteous  caufe  gloriouf- 
ly  triumphant  over  all  oppofition.  And  this  gentle 
and  gracious  admmifiraf ion  fhall  charm  mankind  in 
lo  fenfible  and  irrefiilibie  a  manner  that  the  Oentiles 
/li-ill  confide  in-  his  llluftrious  name,  and  difiant,  yea 
barbarous  nations,  (hail  feek  their  refuge  and  lalva- 
tion  in  his  rrace.*” 

o 

FLEA.  A  little  winglefs  infefl:  Equally  contempt- 
io^e  and  troublelome.  It  has  a  fmall  head  ;  large, 
fine  eyes  ;  and  a  roundilh  body.  It  has  feelers,  or 
hot ns,  which  are  fhort,  and  compofed  of  four  'Dints  t 
between  which  its  trunk  is  fituated,  which  it  buries 
in  the  fkin  of  the  animal  it  infeibs,  and  through  which 
it  fucks  the  blood  in  large  quantities.  When  beheld 
through  a  microfcope  it  appears  to  be  curioufly  adorn¬ 
ed  with  a  fuitof  polifned  fable  armour,  elegantly  joint¬ 
ed  and  befet  with  fharp  pins  refembling  the  quills  cf 
a  porcupine.  It  has  fix  legs,  the  articulations  of 
which  are  fo  exceedingly  elafiick  that  it  is  enabled,  by 
their  means,  to  fpring  to  furprifing  difiances. 

David  likens  himfelf  to  this  infeft  ;  importing,  that 
while  it  would  coft  Saul  much  pains  to  apprehend- 

him,  from  it  he  would  obtain  but  very  little  advan¬ 
tage.  f 

IH  LIES.  Small  winged  infers.  The  kinds  of  flies 
are  exceedingly  numerous  ;  fome  with  two,  and  feme 
with  four  wings.  They  abound  in  warm  and  moiib 
countries  ;  as  in  Egypt,  Chaldea,  Paleftine,  and  in 
the  middle  regions  of  Africa  ;  and  during  the  rainy 
feafons  are  very  troublefome.  They  formed  one  of 

the' 

*  Doddridge’s  Expof,  on  Matth.  xih  so,  21, 

1  Sam.  xxiv,  14.  xxvi.  zo, 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


1G>7 


tlie  plagues  with  which  God  humbled  the  priae,  and 
defeated  the  obflinacy  of  Pharoah,  In  Exod.  vni* 
•21,  &c.  and  Pfal.  Ixxviii.  45.  the  feptuagint  renders 
the  word  dog  fly *;  To  called  from  its  biting,  for  it  faf- 
tens  its  teeth  fo  deep  in  the  flefh,  and  flicks  fo  very 
clofc  that  it  often  makes  cattle  run  mad.  This  in  fed 
is  defcribed  by  Mr.  Bruce  undei  the  name  ol  the 
timb. t  It  is  in  fize  very  little  larger  than  a  bee,  of  a 
thicker  proportion,  and  its  wings,  which  aie  broader, 
are  placed  feparate  like  thole  of  a  fly.  Its  head  is 
large  ;  the  upper  jaw,  or  lip,  is  fharp,  and  has  at  the 
end  of  it  a  ftrong  pointed  hair  of  about  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  in  length  ;  thelower  jaw  has  two  of  thefc  hairs  : 
And  this  pencil  of  hairs,  joined  together,  makes  a  re- 
fiflan.ee  to  the  finger  nearly  equal  to  that  of  a  ftrong 
hog’s  bridle.  Its  legs  are  ferrated  in  the  infide,  and 
the  whole  covered  with  brown  hair,  or  down.  It 
has  no  fling,  though  it  appears  to  be  of  the  bee  kind. 

As  foon  as  this  winged  aflaflin  appears,  and  his  buz¬ 
zing  is  heard,  the  cattle  forfake  their  food,  and  run 
wildly  about  the'  plain  till  they  die,  worn  out  with 
affright,  fatigue,  and  pain. 

The  inhabitans  of  Melinda  down  to  cape  Gardefan, 
to  Saba,  and  the  fouth  coaft  of  the  Red  Sea,  are  ob¬ 
liged  to  put  themfelves  in  motion,  and  remove  to  the 
next  fan d  in  the  beginning  of  the  rainy  feafon.  This 
is  not  a  partial. emigration  ;  the  inhabitants  of  all  the 
countries,  from  the  mountains  of  AbylTmia  northward, 

to 

*  KwOfAVlX. 

+  This  word  is  Arabic,  and  fignines  the  fly  in  genera).  The 
Chaldee  paraphrafe  is  content  with  calling  it  {imply  xebub,  which  has 
the  fame  general  hgnification.  The  Ethioplc  veriion  calls  it  tjaitfalya, 
which  is  the  true  name  of  this  particular  Sy  in  Cte-z,  and  was  thr 
fame  in  Hebrew. 


io$  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

to  the  confluence  of  the  Nile  and  Aftaboras,  are,  once 
in  a  year,  obliged  to  change  their  abode,  and  feek  pro- 
teftion  in  the  lands  of  Beja,  till  the  danger  of  the  in- 
left  is  over.  The  elephant  and  rhinoceros,  which, 
by  reafon  of  their  enormous  bulk,  and  the  vaff  quan¬ 
tity  of  food  and  water  they  daily  need,  cannot  fhift 
to  defert  and  dry  places,  are  obliged  in  order  to  refill; 
the  zimb,  to  roll  themfelves  in  mud  and  mire,  which, 
when  dry,  coats  them  over  like  armour. 

Of  all  thofe  who  have  written  of  thefe  countries. 

us  an  account  of 
this  fly,  and  defcribed  the  mode  of  its  operations,* 
Providence  from  the  beginning,  it  would  appear,  had 
fixed  its  habitation  to  one  fpecies  of  foil,  which  is 
a  black  fat  earth,  extremely  fruitful.  In  the  plagues 
brought  upon  Pharoab,  it  was  by  means  of  this  con¬ 
temptible  yet  formidable  infeft,  that  God  faid  he 
would  feparate  his  people  from  the  Egyptians.  The 
land  of  Gofhen,  the  poffeflion  of  the  Ifraelites,  was  a 
land  of  paflure,  not  tilled  nor  fown,  becaufe  not  over¬ 
flown  by  the  Nile  :  But  the  land  overflowed  by  the 
Nile,  was  the  black  earth  of  the  valley  of  Egypt,  and 
it  was  here  that  God  confined  the  zimb  ;  for  he  fays,  it 
shall  be  a  fign  of  this  feperation  of  the  people,  which 
he  had  then  made,  that  not  one  fly  fhould  be  feen  in 
the  fand  or  paflure  ground,  the  land  of  Gofhen  :  And 
this  kind  of  foil  has  ever  fince  been  the  refuge  of  all 
cattle  emigrating  from  the  black  earth  to  the  lower 
part  of  Atbara.  ;  So  powerful  is  the  weakefl  inftru- 
ment  in  the  hands  of  the  almighty  !  Ifaiah,  indeed,  fays, 
that  the  fly  Jhallbc  in  all  the  def art  places,  and  confequently 
the  fands  ;  yet  this  was  a  particular  difpenfatlon  of  Prov¬ 
idence,  to  anfwera  fpecialend,  the  defclation  of  Egypt, 

and 


the  Prophet  Ifaiah  alone  has  given 


*  Ghap,  viii.  iS,  19. 


and  was  no,t  a  repeal  of  the  general  lav;,  but  a  confirma¬ 
tion  of  it — it  was  an  exception  for  a  particular  pur- 
pofe  and  a  limited  time. 

The  Philiftines  worfhipped  a  deity  under  the  name 
of  Baalzebub,  (that  is,  lord  oj  the  fly )  becaufe  it  was 
fuppofed  he  defended  his  votaries  from  the  flies  which 
infefled  thofe  hot  countries.  This  name  was  after¬ 
wards  ufed  by  the  Jews  to  fignify  the  prince  of  dev¬ 
ils.*  It  feems  that  the  Amorites  and  Canaanites 
were  alfo  votaries  of  this  idol.  The  author  of  the 
book  of  Wifdom,  chap.  xii.  8.  having  faid,  that  God 
fent  flies  againft  them  to  drive  them  by  degrees  out  of 
their  countryf,  adds,  that  the  Almighty  made  thofe 
very  creatures,  apunifhment,  to  which  they  had  paid 
divine  honours. 

The  Egyptians  paid  a  fuperftitious  worfhip  to  the 
beetle.  And  we  find  the  figure  of  a  fly  upon  fome 
Phenician  medals  ;  as  alfo  upon  the  flatue  of  the  god- 
defs  Diana,  at  Ephefus.J 

FOX.§  An  animal  well  known,  and  remarkable 
for  his  cunning  difpofition,  and  his  eagernefs  after 
prey.  Pennant  deferibes  him  as  a  dog  with  a  fharp 
nofe,  lively  hazel  eyes,  and  fharp  ereft  ears.  His  bo¬ 
dy  is  of  a  tawny  red,  mixed  with  afh  colour.  The  fore 
.part  of  his  legs  is  black.  His  tail  is  long,  ftrait, 
bufhy,  tipt  with  white.  Pie  is  fubjeft  to  much  varie¬ 
ty  of  colour. 

There 

*  Matth,  x.  25.  xii.  24. 

•f  Mentioned  Exod.  xxiii.  28.  Duet.  vii.  20.  Jofh,  xxiv.  12. 

X  Claud.  Menit.  Symbol .  Dian.  Ephef.  Stat .  1  .7.  p.  391 .  Gronow, 

§  Canis  V ulpes,  of  the  Syft,  Nat.  In  Heb.  Jhual  ^  in  Gre... 

♦A  oonnfct 


K 


1  10 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


There  is  mention  made  of  foxes  frequently  in  fcrip^ 
ture.  Ezekiel,  chap.  xiii.  14.  compares  the  falfe 
prophets  with  foxes.  Either  it  was  his  defign  to 
heighten  their  cunning  andhvpocriiy  in  imitating  the 
true  prophets  ;  or  he  intended  to  fhow  that  thefe 
falfe  teachers,  indead  of  fupporting  Jerufalem,  endea¬ 
voured  only  to  dedroy  it,  by  undermining  its  walls, 
and  fhaking  its  foundations,  as  foxes  undermine  the 
ground  to  make  holes  of  retreat  for  themfelves. 

Our  Saviour  calls  Herod,  the  tetrarch  of  Galilee, 
Jox*  ;  fignifying  thereby  his  craft,  and  the  refine¬ 
ments  of  his  policy.  And  to  give  an  idea  of  his  own 
extreme  poverty,  he  fayst,  the  foxes  have  holes ,  and  the 
birds  of  the  air  have  nefls,  but  the  fan  of  man  hath  not  vobcrt  to 
lay  bis  head. 

It  is  faid  in  Judges,  xv,  4,  5.  that  Sampfon  took 
three  hundred  foxes,  which  he  tied  two  and  two  to¬ 
gether  by  the  tail  ;  and  that  having  fadened  a  fire 
brand  in  the  middle  of  the  cord  which  bound  them  fo 
together,  he  let  them  loofe  among  the  crops  of  hand¬ 
ing  corn  belonging  to  the  Philiftmes,  and  they  burnt 
them  :  From  the  fields  they  went  into  the  olive  yards, 
and  burnt  them  likewife.  But  the  jackals  are  thought 
by  Dr.  ShawJ  to  be  the  animals  here  intended.  As 
thefe  beads  are  creatures  by  far  the  mod  common  and 
familiar,  as  well  as  the  mod  numerous  of  any  in  the 
eadern  countries,  feveral  of  them  feeding  together, 
we  may  well  perceive  (as  the  Doftor  remarks)  the 

great  poflibility  there  was  for  Sampfon  to  take,  or 

xaufe 

*  Luke,  x'ii.  32.  f  Luke,  58. 

f  Travel s,  p,  174,  &c.  4  Edit. 


OF  THE  BIBLE*  &  ** 

*aufe  to  be  taken*,  three  hundred  of  them.  I \\c  fox,. 
properly  fo  called  (he  adds)  is  rarely  met  with  ;  neith  ¬ 
er  is  it  gregarious.  But  Haffelquift  obferves  that: 
jackals  are  found,  to  this  day,  in  great  numbers  about 
Gaza,  And  from  their  gregarious  nature  it  is  much 
more  probable,  that  he  fhould  have  caught  three  hun¬ 
dred  of  tktni)  than  of  the  folitary  quadruped,  the  fox. ! 

Bochart  has  made  it  probable  that  the  jackals  were 
the  thoes J  of  the  Greeks,  the  btni  azoi  of  the  Arabians  : 
and,  that  the  iyim  fpoken  of  in  liai.  xiii.  22.  xxxiii.  14, 
and  Jerem.  1.  39.  rendered  by  our  tranflators  the 
btafts  of  the  ijlands ,  an  appellation  very  vague  and  un¬ 
determined,  are  the  jackals.  And  though  he  takes 
that  to  have  been  their  fpecific  name,  ye  he  thinks 
that  from  their  great  refemblance  to  a  fox.  they  might 
be  comprehended  under  the  Hebrew  name  of  a  lox, 
Jhual  ;  which  is  indeed  almoll  the  fame  with  fciagal 
or  fiiuga!)  the  PerGan  names  of  the  jackal. §  J.  C, 
Scaliger  and  Olearius,  quoted  by  Bochart,  expreisly 
call  the  jackal  a- fox  ;  and  Mr.  Sandys  fpeaks  of  it 
in  the  fame  manner  :  <c  The  jackals  (in  my' opinion 
no  other  than  foxes)  whereof  an  infinite  number.5 j| 
HafTelquift  calls  it  the  little  eaftern  fox  ;  and  Kaemp- 
fer,  that  it  might  not  improperly  be  called  the  wolf 

fox. 

*  Sampfon,  being  fo  eminent  a  perfon,  and  the  judge  of  Ifrad, 
might  have  employed  abundance  of  people  to  catch  this  great  num¬ 
ber  of  jackals,  and  they  might  have  provided  them  feme  time  before 
for  his  purpofe.  Cruden. 

d  I  have  endeavoured  to  concentrate  the  rr.oft  learned  and  inge¬ 
nious  illuftrations  of  the  critics  and  commentators  upon  this  ftory  ; 
and  fhall  infert  them,  in  a  diftimft  diflertation,  in  the  volume  which  is 
to  fi^cceed  this, 

+0««f. 

§>Boch.  Hieroz.  p.  1.  1.  3.  c,  13. 


- — — 

/  ’’/?/>&  ft. 

.  :  <  \  •'  ■  •.  C  • 


fl  Trav.  b.  3. 


112 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

fox.*  It  is  therefore  very  conceivable  that  the  an¬ 
cients  might  comprehend  this  animal  under  the  gene¬ 
ral  name  of  fox. 

do  be  the  portion  of  foxes,  Pfal.  lxiii,  10.  is  for  men 
to  have  their  land  or  habitation  rendered  defolate  and 
ruinous,  and  themfeives  left  unburied.  “  On  my 
afking  a  gentleman  of  the  army,  fays  Mr.  Merrick, 
not  long  before  returning  from  the  Eaft  Indies,  in 
what  manner  the  barbarous  nations  of  that  country 
difpofe  of  the  bodies  of  their  enemies  killed  in  battle, 

- *e  anfwered,  that  they  leave  them  on  the  field  to  be 
devoured  by  the  jackals  and  other  animals.  I  could 
not  but  regard  this  intelligence  as  fome  confirmation 
of  their  opinion  who  fuppofe  jackals  to  be  the  beads 
here  meant  by  the  Hebrew  word  which  is  tranflated 
foxes.”  [See  Jackal.'] 

FRANKINCENSE.  Gum  thus  ^fo  called  by  the 
dealers  of  drugs  in  Egypt  from  Thur ,  or  Thor,  the 
name  of  a  harbour  in  the  north  bay  of  the  Red  Sea, 
near  mount  Sinai  ;  thereby  diftinguifhing  it  from  the 
gum  arabic,  which  is  brought  from  Suez,  another 
port  in  the  Red  Sea,  not  far  from  Cairo.  It  differs 
alfo  in  being  more  pellucid  and  white.  It  burns 
with  a  bright  and  flrong  flame,  not  eafily  extinguifh- 
®d.  It  was  ufed  in  the  temple  fervice  as  an  emblem 
of  prayer,  t  Authors  give  it,  or  the  belt  fort  of  it, 
the  epithets  white ,  pure ,  pellucid  ;  and  fo  it  may  have 
fome  connection  with  a  word,  derived  from  the  fame 
root,  fignifying  unftained,  clear,  and  fo  applied  to 
moral  whitenefs  or  purity.J 

This 

*  Amcen.  Exot.  Fafcic.  z  rel.9.  5.  p«  413* 

+  Pfal.  cxl'.  2,  Rev.  viii.  3,  4.  X  Pfal.  ii.  7.  Dan.  xii.  iq. 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  113 

This  gum  is  laid  to  diftil  from  incifions  made  in 
the  tree  during  the  heat  of  fummer.  What  the  form 
of  the  tree  is  which  yields  it  we  do  not  certainly 
know.  Pliny  one  while  lays,  it  is  like  a  pear  tree  ; 
another,  that  it  is  like  a  maltic  tree  ;  then,  that  it  is  like 
the  laurel  ;  and,  in  fine,  that  it  is  a  kind  of  turpentine 
tree.  It  has  been  faid  to  grow  only  in  the  country  of 
the  Sabeans,  a  people  in  Arabia  Felix.*  And,  The- 
ophraltus  and  Pliny  affirm  it  is  found  only  in  Arabia, 
Diolcorides,  however,  mentions  an  Indian,  as  well  as 
an  Arabian,  frankincenfe.  At  the  prefent  day  it  is 
brought  from  the  Ealt  Indies,  but  not  of  fo  good  a 
quality  as  that  from  Arabia, .. 

FROG*  An  amphibious  animal,  too  well  known 
to  require  any  defcription. 

When  God  ufed  them  to  plague  the  Egyptians,  they, 
(warmed  in  fuch  numbers,  as  to  cover  the  whole  land. 
They  entered  their  houfes  and  ovens ;  nor  could  theis 
beds,  and  repofitories  for  vi&uals,  be  keep  free  from 
them.  ,  The  magicians,  indeed,  went  to  perfuade 
Pharaoh,  that  Mofes  was  only  fuch  a  miracle  monger 
as  they  were,  by  imitating  alfo  this  miracle  (as  they 
had  done  the  precedent  ones)  and  bringing  a  frefh 
(warm  of  frogs.  They  might  indeed  have  {hewed 
their  lk.il!  to  a  better  purpofe  if  they  had  tried  to  re¬ 
move  thofe  vermin,  of  which  the  Egyptians  did  not 
need  this  frefh  fupply  ;  but  it  leems  they'  had  not 
power  enough  to  do  that.  Wherefore  Pharaoh  was 
reduced  to  fend  for  Mofes,  and  to  promife  him  that 
he  would  let  Ifrael  go,  if  he  would  but  rid  him  and  his 
country  of  that  odious  plague.  Mofes  took  him  at 

K  2  1  his 

#  Yirg.  Geor,  Yu  317. 


ii4  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

his  word  :  And  defiring  him  to  name  the  time  when 
he  fhould  free  the  land  of  thofe  creatures,  did  precife- 
ly  perform  his  part  ;  fo  that  by  the  next  day  there 
was  not  one  frog  left  alive  in  all  the  land.  But  whilft 
his  fubjedls  were  gathering  them  up  in  heaps,  in  or¬ 
der  to  carry  them  off  (their  flench  being  like  to  have 
bred  an  infection)  Pharaoh  was  thinking  how  to  e- 
lude  his  promife,  not  confidering  that  he  only  made 
way  for  another  plague. 

FULLER’S  SOAP.  fSee  Nitre ,  Soap  Earthy 

GALBANUM.  A  fort  of  gum,  or  fpice,  taken 
from  a  plant  which  grows  on  mount  Amanus  in  Syria 
much  like  the  large  kind  of  fennel,*  It  was  an  in¬ 
gredient  in  the  compofition  of  the  incenfe  provided 
in  order  to  be  burnt  upon  the  altar  of  the  hoiy.i 

The  word  galbanum  comes  from  the  Hebrew  chalba - 
nah  ;  which  fignifies  fat,  un£tuous,  gummy. 

GARLICK.  A  plant  whofe  flower  is  of  the  lily 
kind,  and  confifts  of  fix  leaves,  with  a  piltil  in  the 
centre,  which  at  laff  becomes  aroundifh  fruit,  divid¬ 
ed  into  three  cells,  which  contain  the  feeds.  It  has  a 
bulbous  root,  which  is  fometim-es  eaten. 

They  grew  in  great  plenty  in  Egyprj;  :  Where  they 
were  much  elieemed,  and  were  both  eaten  and  wor- 
£hipped>§ 

GIEREAGLE, 

»  Diofcorid.  Lib.  iii.  c.  92.  +  Exod.  xxx.  34. 

f  Diod.  Lib.  i.  p.  3o.  Ceifius,  Hafielquift,  and  others. 

§tcj  Then,  Gods  were  recommended  by  their  tafte. 

Such  favour  y  deities  muft  need  be  good 
Which  ferr'd  at  wrce  for  worjhip  and  for fvcd.V* 


T  Y  f  f  '  *»  '• 

OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E. 


115 


G I  ERE  AG  LEV*  The  vulturine  eagle  ;  a  bird 

between  the  vulture  and  the  eagle, +  [bee  Eaglef^ 

GITH.  A  fort  of  grain,  which  the  Greeks  called 
pthMlitov,  and  the  Latins  nigeUaX ,  becaufe  the  feeds  of 

this  plant  are  for  the  moll  part  black . 

Ifaiah,  xxviii.  25,  27.  fays  that  gith  is  not  threfhed 
with  the  common  inftruments  for  that  purpofe,  fuch 
as  cart  wheels  and  pointed  harrows,  but  with  a  flail, 

or  rod,  only. 

Our  tranhators  have  called  this  plant  fitch. 

-  i  1  1  Jt.r 

GLASS.  A  tranfparent,  brittle,  fa&itious  body  5 
produced  of  a  fait,  and  fand,  01  ftone,  by  the  action 
of  fire. 

There  feems  to  be  no  referrence  to  glafs  in  the  old 
teftament.  The  art  of  making  it  was  not  known, 
De  Neri,  indeed,  will  have  it  as  ancient  as  Job  :  For 
that  writer^,  fpeaking  of  wildom,  fays,  gold  and  glafs 
Jhall  not  be  equalled  to  it.  This,  we  are  to  obferve,  is  the 
reading  of  the  (eptuagint,  vulgate,  Latin,  St,  Jerom^ 
Pineda,  &c.  for  in  the  Englifh  verfion,  inftead  of 
glafs,  we  read  chryfial  ;  and  the  fame  is  done  in  the 
Chaldee,  Arias  Montanus,  and  the  K.mg  of  Spain  s 
edition.  In  other  verfions,  &c.  it,  is  read  /tone;  in 
others  beryl ;  in  the  Italian,  Spanifh,  French,  high 
and  low  Dutch,  &c.  diamond  ;  in  others,  carbuncle  ; 
and  in  the  targum,  mirror . 

In  effeft,  the  original  word  is  zechuchib ,  which  is 
derived  from  the  root  zacac ,  to  purify ,  cleanfe ,  fiine ,  be 

white, 

#  Called,  by  the  naturalifls, perenopterus,  or  or'qtl'argus* 

■p  Gier  is  the  old  Engliih  name  for  vulture. 

\  Plin.  1.  20.  c.  17.  Diofe.  Mat.  Med.  1.  3*  c*  9.3? 

^  xxviii.  I'jo 


ji6  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

white,  transparent :  And  the  fame  word,  Exod.  xxx.34, 
is  applied  to  frankineenfe  ;  and  rendered,  in  the  fep-* 
tuagint,  pellucid.  Hence  the  reafon  of  fo  many  differ¬ 
ent  renderings.  For  the  word  fignifying  beautiful 
and  tranfparent,  in  the  general,  the  tranflators  were  at 
liberty  to  apply  it  to  whatever  was  valuable  and  tranf¬ 
parent., 

Moft  authors  will  have  Arifiophanes  to  be  the  firfl. 
who  mentions  glafs*:  But  the  word  he  ufes  is  am¬ 
biguous,  and  may  as  well  be  underffood  of  cryftal. 
Ariflotle  has  two  problems  upon  glafs  :  But  the  learn¬ 
ed  doubt  very  much  whether  they  be  original.  The 
firft  author,  therefore,  who  made  unqueftionable  men¬ 
tion  of  this  matter,  is  Alexander  Apbrodifceus.f  Af¬ 
ter  him  the  word  [u&Acj]  occurs  commonly  enough.' 
Lucian,  mentions  large  drinking  glaffes.  And  Plu¬ 
tarch,  in  h:\sfympofacon,  fays  that  the  fire  of  the  tamarifki 
wood  is  fitteff  for  making  glafs. — Among  the  Latin 
writers,  Lucian  is  the  firft  who  takes  notice  of  glafs* 
Pliny  relates  the  manner  in  which  this  fubftance  was 
difcovered.  It  was  found,  according  to  him,  by  ac¬ 
cident,  in  Syria,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Belus,  by 
certain  merchants  driven  thither  by  the  fortune  of  the 
fea.  Being  obliged  to  live  there,  and  drefs  their  vic-< 
tuals  by  making  a  fire  on  the  ground  ;  and  there  be¬ 
ing  much  of  the  plant  kali  upon  the  fpot,  this  herb  be¬ 
ing  burnt  to  afhes,  and  the  fands  or  ffones  of  the  place 
accidentally  mixed  with  it,  a  vitrification  was  undefign- 
edly  made  :  From  whence  the  hint  was  taken  and  ea- 
hiy  improved.  Indeed,  how  old  foever  glafs  may  be, 
the  art  of  making  and  working  it  appears  of  no  great 

antiquity* 

*  See  his  Comedy  of  the  Clouds,  Sc.  i.  Aft,  2, 
t  Chamber's^ycloptuia, 


©F  THE  BIBLE. 


117 


antiquity.  The  firft  place  mentioned  for  making  it  is 
Sidon  in  Syria  ;  which,  according  to  Pliny*  was  fa¬ 
mous  for  glafs  and  glafs  houfeSj  The  fands  on  the 
fhore  of  the  little  river  Belus  were  rnoft  elieemed  for 
thispurpofe.  Jofephusfpeaks  of  this  appropriation  of 
them  at  large,  in  the  fecond  book  of  the  wars  of  the 
Jews.f  The  firft  time  we  hear  of  glafs  made  among 
the  Romans  was  in  the  time  of  Tiberius  ;  when  Pliny 
relates  that  an  artift  had  his  houfe  demolifhed  for 
making  glafs  flexible  :  And  Petronius  Arbiter,  and 
fome  others,  allure  us  that  the  Emperor  ordered  the 
artift  himlelftobe  beheaded  for  the  invention. 

So  that  the  factitious,  tranfparent  fubftance  now 
known  to  us  by  the  name  of  giafs,  may  probably  e- 
nough  be  referred  to  in  the  New  Teftarnent  by  the 
Greek  word  u&Ao?  :  Though,  as  we  noted  before,  it 
is  not  mentioned  in  the  Old  Teftarnent. 

Our  tranflators  have  rendered  the  Hebrew  word,  in 
Exod.  xxxviii.  8.  and  Job,  xxxvii.  18.  for  J'pzcuLum , 
looking  glafs .  The  faft  is,  mirrors  were  anciently 
made  of  highly  polifhed  brafs,  filver,  or  brafs  and  filler 
mixed,  &c.  The  making  them  of  glafs  coated  with 
quick  filver,  is  an  invention  quite  modern. 

The  laver  of  the  tabernacle  was  made  of  mirrors* 
which  the  devout  women  offered.  Exod.  xxxviii.  8. 

In  reprobating,  in  the  daughters  of  Sion,  their  fu- 
perfluities  of  ornamental  drefs,  Ifaiah  fays,  they  fhall 
be  llripped  of  their  jewels,  embroideries  ;  and  our 
verfion  fays  of  their glaffes  as  well  as  fine  linen,  ch.  iih 
23.  ButBilhop  Lowth,  and  the  author  of  the  new  tranf- 

lation 

*  Lib.  36.  c.  26. 

p  Chap.  17.  p.  790,  1.  And  Tacitus  takes  notice  of  it  in  1.  5. 
**  Belus  amnis  Judaico  mari  illabitur  :  Circa  cujus  os  conle<S?e  arena*, 
admixto  nitro,  invitrum  excoquuntur.” 


* i8  The  NATURAL  HISTORY' 


lation  of  Ifaiah,  rightly  render  it  tranfparent  garments  : 
A  kind  of  hi  ken  drefs,  tranfparent,  like  gauze  •  worn 
only  by  the  moft  delicate  women,  and  fuch  as  prefer¬ 
red  elegance  to  decency  of  habit.*  This  fort  of  gar¬ 
ments  was  afterwards  in  ufe  among  the  Greeks.  Pio- 
dicus,  in  his  celebrated  fablet,  exhibits  the  perfonage 
of  doth  in  this  drefs  J: 

— — — — her  robe  betrayed, 

7  hrough  the  clear  texture,  every  tender  limb, 

Heightening  the  charms  it  only  teem’d  to  {hade  ; 

And  as  it  flow’d  adown  fo  loofe  and  thin, 

Her  ftature  fhew’d  more  tall,  more  fnowy  white  her  fkln. 

This,  like  other  Grecian  fafnions,  was  received  a^- 
Rome§,  when  luxury  began  to  prevail  under  the  Em¬ 
perors  ;  it  was  fometimes  worn  even  by  the  men,  but 
looked  upon  as  a  mark  of  extreme  effeminacy. [| 

GLEDE.f  Bocnart  fuppofes  the  oxeye,  a  bird  of 
iharp  and  extenfive  fight,  to  be  here  fpoken  of.  The 
etymology  of  the  Hebrew  words  daa.  and  rad  favours 
this  conjecture  :  The  one  comes  from  a  verb  which 
figriifies  to  fee,  the  other  from  one  to  fly . 

*  -i 


GOAT.  An  animal,  found  in  every  part  of  the 
world  ;  eafily  domefticated ;  and  too  well  known  to. 
need  a  defeription. 

It  was  one  of  the  clean  beads  which  the  Ifraelites 
might  both  eat  and  offer  in  their  facrifice. — On  the 

faff 


*  . "elegantius,  quam  necefle  eflet  probis.’* 

Xenoph.  memorab.  Socrat.  1.  a. 

J  E(T0 nrcc  zfc  ns  (aocXis-tk  copa  &c. 

§  I  he  robes  were  called  Multitia,  and  Coa,  by  the  Romans,  from 
their  being  invented,  or  rather  introduced  into  Greece,  by  one  Pam- 
phiia  of  the  i (1  and  of  Cos. 

H  Juvenal  Sat.  z,  v.  65. 


^  Deut.  xiv,  13. 


er  the  BIBLE. 


3  19 

faft  of  atonement,  two  expiatory  goats  were  brought, 
one  was  facrihced  and  t It e  other  bani fhed  into  the 
wildernefs.  The  latter  was  called  afafel  ;  from  ty 
a  goat,  and  to  wander  about ;  meaning  the  goat  that 

gocth ,  or  is  fent  avcaya  and  wandereth  about .* 

Princes,  and  great  men,  are  likened  to  hegoatsf  ; 
as  leaders  of  the  flock. 

The  reprobate  wicked  arc,  in  the  New  Teflament, 
called  goats  ;  probably  from  the  goat’s  being  remark¬ 
able  for  treachery  and  lafcivoufnefs  :  And  in  contra¬ 
ry  diftin&ion  to  the  fheep,  the  emblem  of  innocence, 
purity,  and  meeknefs.J 

They  cut  off  the  hair  in  Paleftine,  as  they  do  ftill 
in  the  Eaff,  to  make  fluffs  of  it,  which  ferve  for  tents. 
God  commanded  Mofes  to  make  part  of  the  veils  be- 
longing  to  the  tabernacle  of  goat’s  hair.§ 

The  treffes  of  Shulamith  are  compared  to  goat’s 
hair.JI  BochartH  refers  the  comparifon  to  the  hair 
'  of  Eaflern  goats,  which  is  of  the  mofl  delicate  fi Iky 
foftnefs  ;  and  is  exprefsly  obferved  by  the  ancient 
natuvalifl  Damir  to  bear  a  great  refemblance  to  the 
fine  curls  of  a  woman’s  hair.  Le  Clerc  obferves  far¬ 
ther  that  the  hair  of  the  goats  in  Paleftine  is  general¬ 
ly  of  a  dark  black  colour,  or  very  dark  brown,  fuch 
as  that  of  a  lovely  brunette  may  be  fuppofed  to  be. 

Dr.  Shaw**  thinks  the  tragelaphus,  or  goat  deer, 
called  wild  goat,  to  be  the  animal  fpokeri  of  in  Deut. 
.  xv,  5. 

The  kind  of  wild  goat  mentioned  Job  xxxix.  1, 
'fays  Mr.  Scott,  is  the  ibex }  or  eveck.  Its  habitation,  is 

on 

*  Lev't.  xvh  -f  I  fa/,  xiv.  9.  Jer.  1.  3.  Zech.  x.  3, 

J  Matth.  xxv.  33.  §  Exod.  xv,  4.  xxxv.  6,  &c.  xxxvlh  14. 

‘1  Scl.  Songjiv.  1.  vi.  5.  Hiercz.t.  i.  1.  3.  15.  *  *  Stippl.p.7$« 


120 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


on  the  top  of  the  higheft  rocks*,  where  its  perpetual 
leaping  from  precipice  to  precipice,  together  with 
the  kids,  expofes  them  to  fo  many  perils,  that  with¬ 
out  a  finguiar  care  of  providence  the  breed  muft  pe- 
rifh.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  fwiftnefs  and  agility  ; 
for  the  largenefs  of  its  horns,  which  bend  backward 
and  extend  to  the  buttocks  ;  and  for  its  affe&ion  to 
its  parents  and  young.  [See  Ibex,  j 

GOLD.  The  moil  weighty,  perfect,  and  valuable 
of  metals. 

Arabia  had  formerly  its  golden  mines,  +  And  the 
gold  of  Ophir,  fo  often  fpoken  of,  muft  be  that  which 
was  procured  in  Arabia,  on  the  coaft  of  the  Red  Sea. 
We  are  allured  by  Sanchoniathon,  and  by  Herodo- 
tusj,  that  the  Phenicians  carried  on  a  conftderable 
traffick  with  this  gold,  even  before  the  days  of  Job, 
who  fpeaks  of  it,  chap.  xxii.  24. 

GOPHER  WOOD.§  There  are  various  opinions 
about  this.  Some  will  have  it  to  be  the  cedar  |J: 
Others  the  pinell  :  Some  the  box**  :  And  others, 
particularly  Mahometans,  the  Indian  plane  tree.+i 
The  more  probable  opinion  is  that  it  is  the  cyprzfsX  +  J 
which,  belides  its  refemblance  in  name§§,  is  allowed 

to 

*  1  Sam.  xxiv.  2.  Pfal.  civ.  18.  Bochart  hieroz.  p.  i.  917—920. 

•f  Pfal.  Ixxii.  15.  “  'The.  gold  of  Sheba  In  the  Septuagint  and 
Arabic  verfions,  the  gold  of  Arabia*  Sheba  was  the  ancient  name  of 
Arabia  Felix. 

4  Quoted  by  Eufebius.  §  Gen.  vi,  14. 

jj  Targum  of  Onkelos,  and  moft  of  the  old  Rabbins. 

Munfter.  **  Scholiafl:.  Gr. 

ff  Eutych.  p.  34,  Herbelot.  p.675. 

44  Bochart,  phaleg.  1.  1.  c.  4.  Fuller  mifcel.  i.4.  c.  5. 

Kv7rapi?cc£.  Taking  away  ths-Greek  termination,  cufar 
ftnd  gopher  differ  very  h_ttle  in  found,? 


©f  the  BIBLE. 


1  2  i 


lo  be  a  very  proper  fort  of  timber  for  the  building  of 
fhips*,  and  not  fubjeft  to  rot.h 

It  is  certain  Noah  built  his  ark  of  it.  And  the 
cyprefs  was  fo  plentiful  about  Babylon  that  Alexan¬ 
der  built  a  whole  navy  of  it. 

It  may  well  enough  be  underdood  of  all  forts  of 
wood  which  yield  pitch.%  For  the  Hebrew  word 
gaphar  fignifies  to  pitch ,  or  daub  with  pitch.  Gophrithy 
which  fignifies  hitmen,  is  not  much  unlike  it. 

[See  Cyprefs.  J 


GOURD. §  A  plarlt,  or  vine,  which  produces 
leaves  and  branches  like  the  cucumer,  which  creep 
along  the  earth  ;  and  bear  a  naufeous  fruit. 

It  is  difficult  to  determine  what  the  kikayon ,  or 
gourd,  which  covered  Jonah’s  head  was.(]  Jerome 
fays  it  was  a  fmall  fhrub  which,  in  the  Tandy  places 
of  Canaan,  grows  up  in  a  few  days  to  a  confderable 
height;  and,  with  its  large  leaves,  forms  an  agreeable 
fhade.  But  Bochart  and  Celfius  maintain  that  it  was 
more  probably  the  kiki  of  the  Egyptians  ;  and  accord¬ 
ing  to  Diofcorides,  a  ffirub,  which  the  Latins  called 
ricinus^  :  Which  is  of  rapid  growth  ;  rifes,  with  a 
ihong  herbacious  ftalk,  to  the  height  of  ten  or  twelve 
feet ;  and  is  furniffied  with  very  large  leaves,  not  very 

unlike 


*  Plutarch  Symfc/.  I.  r.  ouef.  2.  Veget.  1.  .4.  c.  34.  Plat. 

d-c  hg .  I.  4. 

t  Plm.  1.  16.  c.40.  Theophraft.  bp.  plant.  J.  5.  c,  5. 
t  So  the  Vulgate  renders  it. 

§  Curcurbita,  Lin.  gen.  plant.  968.  Tournef.  R,  H.  107. 

1|  Jonah,  iv.  6. 

ST  Lin.  gen.  plant.  961.  Tournef.  inf.  R.  If.  ;p.  tab.  3c? 

.J>lant  ‘S  n*W  mora  corr,monly  known  by  the  name  of  Palm 
Lbrijtu 


L 


122  The  N  A  TURAL  HISTORY 

unlike  thofe  of  the  plane  tree.  Pvabhi  Kim  chi  fays  the 
people  of  the  Eafl  plant  them  before  their  fhops  for 
the  fake  of  the  fliade,  and  to  refrefh  themfelves  under 
them. 

We  read,  of  the  wild  gourd  in  the  fecond  book 
of  Kings*  ;  that  Elifha  being  at  Gilgal  during  a  great 
famine,  bade  one  of  his  fervants  prepare  fomething 
for  the  entertainment  of  the  prophets,  who  were  in 
that  place.  The  fervant  going  into  the  field  found 
(as  our  tranllators  render  it)  fome  wild  gourds  ;  gath¬ 
ered  a  lap  full  of  them  ;  *  and  having  brought  them 
with  him,  cut  them  in  pieces,  and  put  them  into  a 
pot  ;  not  knowing  what  they  were.  When  they 
were  brought  to  table,  the  prophets  having  taflea 
them,  thought  they  were  mortal  poifon.  Immediate¬ 
ly  the  man  of  God  called  for  flour,  threw  it  into  the 
pot,  and  defned  them  to  eat  without  any  apprehen¬ 
sions.  They  did  fo,  and  perceived  nothing  of  the 
bitternefs,  whereof  they  were  berore  fo  fenfibie. 
This  plant,  or  fruit,  is  called  in  Hebrew  pckaah . 
There  have  been  various  opinions  about  it.  Celfiust 
fuppofes  it  the  wild ,  or  /purling  cucumer .  I  am  more 
inclined  to  believe  it  to  have  been  the  colocynth% ,  or 
bitter  apple.  The  leaves  of  the  plant  are  large  5  pHc'j 
ed  alternate;  almofl  round;  and  Hand  upon  foot 
flalks  four  inches  long.  The  bowers  are  white  ;  and 
are  fucceeded  by  a  fruit  of  the  gourd  kind,  of  the  fize 
of  a  large  apple  ;  and  which  when  ripe  is  yellow  and 

of  a  very  pkafant  and  inviting  appearance  :  But  is 

to 


*  Chap.  iv.  v.  39. 

■f  Hserob.  p.  1.  p-  393*  And  ^ay’or’s  heo.  Cone. 
\  Cucum'is  prophetarum.  Ltn.  Syft.  Nat.  J 43^* 


no.  151- 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


123 


to  the  tafte  intolerably  bitter  ;  and  proves  a  violently 
draftic  purgative. 

It  feems  that  the  fruit,  whatever  it  might  have  been, 
was  very  early  thought  proper  for  an  ornament  in 
archite&ure.  It  furnifhed  a  model  for  fome  of  the 
carved  work,  of  cedar,  in  Solomon's  temple.  1  Kings, 
vi,  18.  vii.  24. 

GRANITE.  A  marble  of  a  clofe  texture,  feldorn 
flaty  :  Admitting  a  fine  polifh.  For  which  reafons 
the  Egyptians  in  former  times,  and  the  Italians  now, 
work  it  into  large  pieces  of  ornamental  archite£ture. 
And  for  this  purpofe  it  is  extremely  fit  as  it  does  not 
decay  in  the  air. 

GRAPE.  The  fruit  of  the  vine. — There  were 
fine  vineyards  and  excellent  grapes  in  Paleftine. 
The  bunch  of  grapes,  which  was  cut  in  the.valley  of 
Efchol,  and  was  brought  upon  a  fiaff  between  two 
men  to  the  camp  of  Ifrael  at  Kadefhbarnea,  may  give 
us  fome  idea  of  the  largenefs  of  this  fruit  in  that  coun¬ 
try.  Travellers  relate  that  theie  were  lately  fome  to 
be  feen  there  of  a  prodigious  fize.  Doubdan  allures 
us  that  in  the  valley  of  Efchol  were  duffers  of  grapes 
to  be  found  of  ten  or  twelve  pounds."  A  great  ma¬ 
ny  authors  mention  vines  and  grapes  of  an  extraor¬ 
dinary  bignefs  in  thofe  eaftern  and  fouthern  countries. 
I  need  only  refer  to  Strabof,  who  fays  the  vines  in 
Margiana,  and  other  places,  were  fo  large  that  two 
men  could  fcarcely  compafs  them  with  their  arms  ; 
and  that  they  produced  a  bunch  of  grapes  of  two 
cubits.  Which  is  juflified  by  the  accounts  of  Olea- 

rius, 

#  Voyage  de  la  terre  fainte.  c,  21 . 

i  Gsogr, !,  2.  p,  73,  and  1.  n.  p.  516, 


-- 


— 


124  The  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Hus*,  For  fieri",  J.  Conr.  Dieterius*,  Leo  Africanius, 
N.  Radzivil,  Huetius§,  Sir  J.  Chardin|)5  and  many 
other  ancient  and  modern  writers  and  travellers. 

Mofes,  in  the  law,  commanded^  that  when  the  If- 
raelites  gathered  their  grapes  they  fhould  not  be  care¬ 
ful  to  pick  up  thofe  which  fell,  nor  be  fo  exad  as  to 
leave  none  upon  the  vines.  What  fell,  and  what 
were  left  behind,  he  ordered  fhould  be  for  the  poor. 
For  the  fame  beneficient  purpofe  the  fccond  vintage 
was  referved.**  This,  in  thofe  warm  countries,  was 
confiderable  j  though  never  fo  good  nor  fo  plentiful 
as  the  forrner.fi 

It  is  frequent  in  fcripture  to  defcribe  a  total  de- 
firuflion  by  the  fimilitude  of  a  vine  (tripped  in  fitch 
a  manner  that  there  was  not  a  bunch  of  graphs  left 
for  thofe  who  came  to  glean. 

The  blood  of  the  grape  fignifies  nine.  He  jhall  zjoajh  his 
clothes  in  the  blood  of  grapes,  Gen.  xlix.  ii.  means  his 
habitation  {hall  be  in  a  country  where  there  are  vine¬ 
yards. 

The  fathers  have  eaten  four  grapes ,  and  the  children's 
leeih  are  fet  on  edgeff  is  a  proverbial  way  of  fpeaking 
in  the  facred  text ;  meaning,  that  the  fathers  have 
finned,  and  the  children  borne  the  punifhment  of 
their  crimes.  It  was  a  kind  of  reproach  made  by  the 
4  Jews  to  God,  who  punifhed  thofe  fins  in  them, 
whereof  they  pretended  they  were  not  guilty.  But 

the 

*  Inn,  inPerf.  I.  3.  f  Dittion.  fcsebj.  p.  S62, 

X  Antiq.  Biblicae,  p.  249.  §  Quail.  Alnetana,  1.  2.  c.  12.  a. 24. 

u  v°y  ages,  tom.  3.  p.  12.  i2mo. 

Levit.  xix.  10.  Deut.  xxiv.  21 ,  22. 

Levit.  and  Deut.  as  before  j  andEccluf.  4,  16. 

•ff  M.  Flaccus  Illyr.  clav.  S.  S.  voce  racemas. 

Ifai.xvii.  6.  xxiv.  13.  Jer.  vi.  9.  x ! ; x .  0.  C)bad.  y 
Jer.  xxxi.  29.  Ez-ek.  xviii.  2. 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


125 


the  Lord  faid  he  would  caufe  this  proverb  to  ceafe  in 
Ifrael,  and  that  for  the  future  every  one  fhould  fuller 
the  punilhment  of  his  own  faults. 

The  wild  grapes  are  fruit  of  the  wild ,  or  baftard 
vine*  :  Sour  and  unpalatable ;  and  good  for  noth¬ 
ing  but  to  make  verjuice. 

In  Ifaiahf,  God  complains  of  his  people,  who  he 
had  planted  as  a  choice  vine,  and  excellent  plant  : 
Precious  as  the  grape  vines  of  Sorek. J  But  com¬ 
plains  that’their  degeneracy  had  defeated  his  purpofe 
and  difappointed  his  hopes.  When  he  expended  that  it 
Jhould  bring  forth  delicious  fruity  it  brought  Jorth  ivild 
grapes  :  or,  as  Bifhop  Lowth  renders  it,  poifonous  ber¬ 
ries  :  Not  merely  ufelefs,  unprofitable  grapes,  but  clut¬ 
ters  ofiFenfive  to  the  fmell,  noxious,  poifonous.  Bv 
the  force  and  intent  of  the  allegory  (the  aforemen¬ 
tioned  author  obferves)  to  good  grapes  ought  to  be 
oppofed  fruit  of  a  dangerous  and  pernicious  quality; 
as  in  the  application  of  it,' to  judgment  is  oppofed 
tyranny,  and  to  righteoufnefs  oppreflion. 

L  2  Jeremiah 


*  Called  in  latin  labrujca .  Plin.  1.  23*  c,  1.  Virg.  eel.  5.  v.  c. 
•f  Ch.  v.  2—4. 

t  Sorek  was  a  valley  lying  between  Afcalon  and  Gaza,  and  run¬ 
ning  far  up  eadward  in  the  tribe  of  Judah.  Both  Afcalon  and  Ga- 
aa  were  anciently  famous  for  wine.  The  former  is  mentioned  ay 
fuch  by  Alexander  TralFianus;  the  latter  by  fevera!  authors  (quoted 
by  Reland,  pal.ae.ft.  p.  589,  and  986.)  And  it  feerns,  that  the  upper 
part  c i  the  valley  of  Sorek,  and  that  of  Efcho)  (where  tne  fpies  gath¬ 
ered  the  large  bunch  of  grapes  which  they  were  obliged  to  bear  be¬ 
tween  two  upon  a  ftaff)  being  both  near  to  Hebron,  were  in  the 
fame  neighbourhood  5  and  that  all  this  part  of  the  country  abound¬ 
ed  with  rich  vineyards.  Compare  Numb.  xiii.  22,.  23.  Jud.  xvi. 
3,  4.  and  fee  P.  Nau,  Voyage  de  la  terre  fainte,  1.  4.  c.  18.  De 
Lifie’s  pofthumous  map  of  the  Holy  land.  Paris  1763.  Bochart 
Hieros.  2.  col.  725.  Tbevenot,  j.  0,406.  and  Bishop  Lowth’x 


H  otes. 


on  I  fa  I ,  v,  2, 


Jeremiah  ufes  the  fame  image,  and  applies  it  to  the 
fame  purpofe,  in  an  elegant  paraphrafe  of  this  part 
of  Ifaiah’s  parable,  in  his  flowing  and  plaintive  man¬ 
ner  :  But  I  planted  thee  a  forth ,  a  cion  perfectly  genuine  : 
i  How  then  art  thou  changed ,  and  become  to  me  the  degene¬ 
rate  Jkcots  of  the  Jl range  vine  ! 

Thp  vine ,  is  a  common  name,  or  genus,  including 
feveral  fpecies  under  it  ;  and  Moles,  to  dillinguifh 
the  true  vine,  or  that  from  which  wine  is  made,  from 
the  reft,  cal's  it  (Numb.  vi.  4.)  the  zvine  vine .  Some 
other  forts  were  of  a  poifonous  quality  ;  as  appears 
from  the  flory  related  among  the  miraculous  a£ts  of 
Elifha.  2  Kings  iv.  39 — 41. 

From  fome  fort  of  poifonous  frui  ts,  of  the  grape 
kind,  Mofes  has  taken  thofe  ftrong  and  highly  poeti¬ 
cal  images  with  which  he  has  fet  forth  the  future 
corruption  and  extreme  degeneracy  of  the  Ifraelites, 
in  an  allegory  which  has  a  near  relation,  both  in  its 
fubjeft  and  imagery,  to  this  of  Ifaiah. 

Their  vine  is  from  the  vine  of  Sodom , 

And  from  the  fields  of  Gomorrah  ; 

Their  grapes  are  grapes  of  gall  2 
Their  clufters  are  bitter  : 

Their  zoine  is  the  poifon  of  dragons 
And  the  cruel  venom  of  afpics,* 

Haffelquiltf  is  inclined  to  believe  that  the  prophet 
here  (Ifai.  v.  2,  4.)  means  the  hoary  night  fhadej  ; 
becaufe  it  is  common  in  Egypt,  Paleflme,  and  the 
EafL  And  the  Arabian  name  agrees  well  with  it. 

The  Arabs  call  it  antb  d  dib ,  that  is,  zoofs  grapes .  The 

prophet 


#  Deut*  xxxli.  33,  33 ♦ 

t  T r iv»  p.  289.  See  alfo  Michaclif,  aux*  v°yaS«’jr* 

Danois,  no.  64. 

X  Solatium  internum. 


4 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  2,  127 

prophet  could  not  have  found  a  plant  more  oppofite 
to  the  vine  than  this ;  for  it  grows  much  in  the  vine¬ 
yards,  and  is  very  pernicious  to  them  ;  wherefore 
they  root  it  out  :  It  likewife  refcmbles  a  vine  by  its 
fhrubby  flalk. 

G’kASS.  The  well  known  vegetable  upon  which 
flocks,  herds,  &c.  feed  ;  and  which  decks  our  fields, 
and  refrefhes  our  fight  with  its  grateful  veicuie. 

Its  feeble  frame  and  tranfitory  duration  is  mention¬ 
ed  in  fcripture  as  emblematic  of  the  frail  condition 
and  fleeting  exigence  of  man.  The  infpired  poets 
draw  this  picture  with  fuch  inimitable  beauty  as  the 
labored  elegies  on  mortality  of  ancient  and  modern 
times  have  never  furpafled**  And  as  in  their  decay  the 
herbs  of  the  field  ffnkmgly  illuftrate  the  fhortnels  of 
human  life  ;  fo  in  the  order  of  their  growth,  from 
feeds  dead  and  buried,  they  give  a  natural  teftimony 
to  the  doffrinc  of  a  refurredlion  :  And  the  prophet 
Ifaiahf,  and  the  Apofile  PeterJ,  both  fpeak  of  bodies 
rifmg  from  the  dead,  as  of  fo  many  feeds  fpringing 
from  the  ground  to  renovated  exiftence  and  beauty. 

GRASSHOPPER,  A  fpecies  of  the  loquft. 

Its  Hebrew  name,  chabad is  taken  from  an  Arabic 
root,  importing  their  veiling,  or  clouding,  the  light 
of  the  fun.jj  [See  Locuji .  | 

HARE.H  An  animal  refembling  the  rabbit,  but 
larger,  $nd  fomewhat  longer  in  proportion  to  its 

thicknefs0 

*  Pfal.  xc.  6.  Ifai.  xl.  6.  ch.  xxvi.  19, 

f  Epift.  1.  ch.  xxiv.  c.  25, 

§  Levir,  xi.  22.  Numb.  xiii.  35.  2  Chron.  vii.  13.  Ecclef.  xik 

5.  Ifai.  xl.  22. 

j|  Taylor’s  Core.  R.  109.  feflh  2.  and  R.  543. 

The  Lepus  of  Pliny  j  the  Lepus  tirr.idus  of  the  Syft.  Nat. 


128  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

thicknefs.  Being  a  weak  and  defencelefs  creature, 
it  is  endued,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  with  that  pre¬ 
fer  ving  paffion,  fear.  This  makes  it  perpetually  at¬ 
tentive  to  every  alarm,  and  keeps  it  continually  lean, 
LiAening  to  every  noife,  it  flies  at  the  leaA  fufpi- 
cion.  A  falling  leaf  is  fufficient  to  increafe  its  timid¬ 
ity.  To  enable  it  to  receive  the  moll  diftant  notices 
of  danger  nature  has  provided  it  with  very  long  ears, 
which,  like  the  tubes  applied  to  the  ears  of  deaf  peo¬ 
ple,  convey  to  it  thofe  founds  which  are  remote  ;  and 
the  animal  s  motions  are  direfted  accordingly.  It 
has  large  prominent  eyes,  placed  backwards  in  its 
head^  and  fo  adapted  as  to  receive  the  rays  of  light 
on  every  fide  ;  fo  that  while  it  runs  it  can  almoA  fee 
behind.  The  eyes  of  this  animal  are  never  wholly 
clofed  ;  it  is  fo  continually  on  the  watch,  that  it  even 
fleeps  with  them  open.  The  mufcles  of  the  body  are 
Arong,  and  without  fat ;  it  has  therefore  no  fuperflu- 
ous  burthen  of  flefh  to  carry.  To  affiA  it  to  efcape  its 
purfuers,  the  hind  legs  are  formed  remarkably  long, 
which  Aill  adds  to  the  rapidity  of  its  motion  :  And 
io  fen  Able  is  this  animal  of  this  peculiar  advantage, 
that,  when  it  is  Aarted,  it  always  makes  towards  the 
riling  ground. 

It  poifeAes  the  fame  prolific  qualities  as  the  rabbit, 
Mofes  is  not  the  only  writer  who  mentions  the 
hare’s  chew.ng  the  cud.*  Arifiotle  notices  the  fame 
circumfiance,  and  affirms  that  the  Arufture  of  its 
Aomach  is  fimilar  to  that  of  ruminating  animals. 

It  was  pronounced  unclean  by  the  law  of  Mofes ; 
probably  from  its  habits  of  lafcivoufnefs* 

'  Levlt.  xi :  6.  Deuf.  xiv,  7, 


HART, 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  12  g 

HART.  The  male  of  the  roe  :  A  young  (tag. 

HAWK.  A  well  known  bird  of  prey.  There 
are  nine  or  ten  principal  kinds  of  hawks  :  As  gof- 
hawksj  falcons,  &c.  They  are  quick  fighted,  fwift 
winged,  ravenous,  and  very  courageous. 

There  is  the  greeted;  confent  in  the  tranflation  of 
the  Hebrew  word  netz*  j  which  all  agree  fignifies  a 
hawk,  from  its  (Length  and  fwiftnefs  in  flight. 

Moft  of  the  fpec>es  of  hawks,  we  are  told,  are  birds 
of  paffage.  The  hawk  therefore  is  produced,  in  Job 
xxix.  26,  as  a  fpecimen  of  that  aftonifhing  infti,n£b 
which  teacheth  birds  of  paffage  to  know  their  times 
and  feafons,  when  to  migrate  out  of  one  country  in¬ 
to  another  for  the  benefit  of  food,  or  a  warmer  cli¬ 
mate,  or  both. 

g  Doth  the  hawk  Jly  by  thy  zoifdom ,  and  Jlntch  her  wings 
towards  the  fouth  ? 

i  Does  thy  contrivance  on  the  falcon’s  wing 

/  Bellow  its  fwiftnefs,  and  unwearied  fpring  : 

Or  guide  his  voyage,  when  he  fhoots  away 
With  outfpread  pinions  to  the  fouthern  ray  "I 

HAY.  Grafs  cut,  or  mowed,  and  dried. 

HAZEL.J  A  fmall  nut  tree,  with  light  brown 
bark.  But  Hiller^  and  Celfiusjj  that  it  is  the  almond 
tree  fpoken  of  Genefis  xxx.  37.  By  law z  or  luz  the 
Arabians  always  mean  the  almond. 

HEATH.  A  well  known  flirub  that  grows  in  bar¬ 
ren  moors  and  uncultivated  places.  It  knows  not  when 
good  comet h\  :  Seems  infenfible  of  the  revivifying  in¬ 
fluence 

*  10  from  run  to  Jly.  Taylor’s  cone,  root  1183,1185. 

-j  Scon’s  verfion,  J  Heb,  luds.  §  Hicrephyt.  p.  r  ,p.  215. 

11  Uhrohat.  p.  i.  p.  253,  €T  Jerem.  xvii.  6, 


-  -- 


*3°  The  natural  history 

fluence  of  fp.ring,by  its  not  flourifhing  till  towards  the 
end  of  fumrner.  And  fo  is  ufed  as  defcriptive  of 
thote  who  do  not  profit  in  true  godlinefs  ainidft  the 
merciful  providences  of  heaven. — It  likewife  repre¬ 
sents  men  in  a  deftitute  and  concealed  (or  difregard- 
cd)  fituation.* 

HEMLOCK. t  A  poifonous  plant.  There  have 
been  many  inftances  of  its  deleterious  efFeas.j 

Our  tranilators  have  rendered  it  gall  in  feveral 
places^  ;  and  in  one  inftance  venom|[  :  And  in  Amos 
L  i  2.  they  have  rendered  the  Hebrew  word  which 

figrnfies  wormwood^  hemlock . 

HEN.  Her  gathering  her  chickens  under  the  warm 
fne iter  of  her  wing,  is  ufed  as  a  metaphor  exprefiivc 
oi  t lie  parental  tendernefs,  care,  and  protection  of  hea¬ 
ven.  Matth.  xxiii.  37. 

V* 

i i ir.RO N.  A  tall  bird,  with  a  crell  of  long  black" 
feathers  hanging  from  the  hinder  part  of  the  head. 
It  is  fomewhat  like  the  crane  and  {fork,  but  may  be 
difh’nguifhed  from  them  by  its  fmaller  fize  \  by  the 
bill,  which  is  much  longer  in  proportion  ;  and  by 
the  middle  claw  of  each  foot,  which  are  toothed  like 
a  faw,  to  enable  it  to  feize,  and  more  fecurely  hold, 
its  llippery  prey. 

It  flies  very  high  :  Lives  along  lakes,  and  In  fenny 
places  ;  and  feeds  upon  fifh. 

There 

#  Jerem.  xivii.  6.  +  Cicuta.  Lin.  fp.  plant.  255. 

t  see  atreatifeof  Dr.  Ant.  Storck  de  iicuta.  8vo.  Vmd.  «t. 
Lana.  1761. 

§  Deut  xxix.  18.  xxxii,  32.  Pfal,  Ixix.  zj,  hr.  vT.  14.  ix.  j 5. 
sxiii.  15.  Lam.  iii.  5,  jg. 

I!  Deut.  xxii.  33. 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E. 


33l 

There  are  at  lea fh  ten  different  interpretations  of 
the  Hebrew  word  anapha*  ;  among  which  our’s  is 
one.  But  its  being  derived  from  a  word  which  figni- 
ftes  anger ,  has  led  Bochart  to  fuppofe  it  the  mountain 
Jaicon  ;  which  is  a  very  fierce  bird,  and  very  prone  to 
anger. 

HIND.  A  fhe  to  a  flag. 

It  is  a  lovely  creature  ;  of  an  elegant  fliape  ;  and 
its  hair  is  of  a  great  price.  It  is  noted  for  its  fwift- 
nefs,  and  the  furenefs  of  its  ftep.  This  creature  is  tim¬ 
orous,  perpetually  fleeing  from  wild  beads  and  men, 
and  jumping  among  the  rocks. + 

David  and  Habakkuk  both  allude  to  this  cbara&er 
of  the  kind .  The  Lord  maketh  my  feet  like  hind’s  feet,  and 
caufeth  me  to  Jland  on  the  high  places .J  The  circum fiance 
of  their  Jianding  on  the  high  places ,  or  mountains,  is  ap¬ 
plied  to  the  hind,  or  flag,  by  Xenophon, §  The  ex- 
preflion,  my  high  places,  in  both  the  facred  writers, 
may  be  explained  to  fignify  ({fill  alluding  to  him)  the 
perfon’s  ufual  places  of  retreat,  refort,  or  refidence. 

Solomon  has  a  very  appofite  comparifon,  Prov.  v.  19. 
of  connubial  attachment  to  the  mutual  fondnefs  of  the 
flag  and  hind.  Let  the  wife  of  thy  bofom  be  as  the  beloved 
hind  and  favourite  roe .  It  is  well  known  that  the  males 
of  the  deer  kind  are  remarkable  fond  of  their  females 
at  the  time  when  the  natural  propenfion  operatesj|  ; 

and 

Levit.  xi.  19.  Deut.  xiv.  18. 

f  2  Sam,  xxii .  34.  Cantic.  fj.  8,  9.  viii.  14. 

JPfal.xviii.  34.  Hab.  iii.  19, 

\  EflrKrx07r«u  Si  iypvrot  TOCS  xuuot;)  rot;  psv  EN  TOIS 

GPEIIN  E2THSAE  EAA<I>GY£.  Venari  oportet  cum 
canibus  cervas  quae  in  montibus  ftant.  Lib.  de  Venat. 

!|  The  ei;rpo;. 


132  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

and,  though  at  other  feafons  weak  and  timid  animal?, 
they  will  then,  at  the  hazard  of  their  lives,  encounter 

any  danger,  rather  than  forfake  their  beloved  part¬ 
ners. 

Our  tranflators  made  Jacob,  prephefying  of  the 
tiibe  of  Naphthali,  i ay,  Naphthaii  is  a  hind  let  looje ,  he 
givetk  goodly  words,*  And  interpreters  pretend  that 
this  prediction  relates  to  Barak,  who  was  of  that  tribe, 
who  had  not  the  courage  to  oppofe  the  army  of  Sife- 
ra,  without  the  afliftance  of  Deborah,  though  fhe  af- 
fured  him  that  God  had  commanded  him  to  do  it, 
and  promifed  him  happy  fuccels  ;  but  yet  gave  good¬ 
ly  words  in  the  fong  which  he  fung  after  obtaining 
the  viftory. f  But  ^  How  could  it  follow  from  what 
Barak  could  have  done,  that  this  prophecy,  which  re¬ 
garded  the  whole  tribe  of  Naphthali,  could  be  accom- 
plifhed  in  his  perfon,  efpecially  fince  it  was  not  he 
that  compofed  this  fong,  but  the  prophetefs  Deborah, 
who  was  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  ?  Nor  do  we  find 
it  any  where  recorded  that  Naphthali,  or  his  pofter- 
ity,  have  been  more  eloquent  than  the  other  tribes, 
nor  that  there  was  ever  any  fchool.  or  famous  city, 
or  any  prophet  of  that  tribe  :  Not  to  mention  that 
the  Galileans,  whofe  country  made  a  part  of  that  of 
the  Naphthaiites,  and  who  might  have  been  of  the 
fame  tribe,  were  fo  clownifh  and  unpolifhed  in  their 
language  that  thofe  of  Jerufalem  could  not  bear  their 
gibber  ijh,\  The  Chaldee  pharaphrafe^  and  that  of  Jem- 
falem ,  and  the  Robbies ,  have  mentioned  other  fables  to 
juftify  this  verfion,  which  fuppofe  that  thofe  of  the 
tribe  of  Naphthali  were  quick  in  bringing  of  good 

news. 

*  Gen.  xlix.  sr.  *f  Judges,  v.  1/2,  3,  &c. 

£  Pirke*  Aboth.  e,  39, 


oE  the  BIBLE. 


\ 


33 


news.  But,  fince  neither  Mofes,  nor  any  of  the  proph¬ 
ets  have  fpoken  of  this,  it  falls  of  itfelf.  Bochart  has 
given,  however,  an  intelligible  and  confident  Irani- 
lation  of  the  original.  Naphthali ,  or  the  Naphthalitcs , 
JhalL  be  like  a  fpreading  tree,  which  produceth pica jemt  branch¬ 
es*  Jacob  compares  this  tribe  to  a  tree,  as  he  does 
that  of  Jofeph,  in  the  verfc  following  ;  (and,  as  good 
men  are  often  compared  to  fine  trees,  Pfal.  i.  3.  xcii. 
12.)  either  becaufe  of  its  fruitfulnefs  (Naphthali  hav¬ 
ing  brought  but  four  children  into  Egypt,  Gen . 
xli.  24,  who  produced  more  than  fifty  thoufand  iri 
lefs  than  two  hundred  and  fifteen  years,  Numb.  i.  41, 
42.)  orupon  the  account  of  the  fruitfulnefs  of  tiie  coun¬ 
try  which  fell  to  their  lot,  which  Mofes*  and  Jofe~ 
phusf  reprefent  as  the  richeft  of  al?  Judea.  And  it 
is  thus  that  the  feptuagint'X^  the  Chaldee  paraphrafe ,  and 
the  Arabic  verfion  which  Bochart  confulted  in  Sweden, 
trandate  the  words,  without  following  the  pointing  of 
the  Maforets ,  which  has  often  corrupted  the  meaning 
of  the  text,  and  has  given  occafion  to  modern  inter¬ 
preters  to  render  this  oracle  to  have  no  relation  to  the 
firft,  and  iuppofes  that  hinds  were  let  loofe  after  they 
were  taken,  contrary  to  thecudom  of  hunters.  And 
the  quedion  will  dill  recur,  d*  What  has  a  hind  to  do 
with  goodly  words  ? 


HIPPOPOTAMI'S.  An  amphibious  animal  as  large 
and  as  formidable  as  the  rhinoceros.  The  male  has 
been  found  feventeen  feet  in  length,  fifteen  in  cir¬ 
cumference,  and  feven  in  height  :  The  legs  arc  three 
feet  long,  and  the  head  nearly  four.  Its  jaws  extend! 

about 


*  Deut.  mu.  23.  f  De  hello  Jud.  1.  3.  c.  2. 

X  A  luxuriant  foot,  producing  In  its  fruit  %vhat  is  beautiful. 

M 


about  two  feet,  with  four  cutting  teeth  in  each,  which 
are  twelve  inches  in  length.  The  fkin  is  fo  thick  as 
to  refill  the  edge  of  a  fword  or  fabre.  Contrary  to 
all  other  amphibious  animals  its  feet  are  not  webbed. 
In  figure  it  is  between  the  ox  and  the  hog.  It  is 
found  near  lakes  and  rivers,  from  the  Niger  to  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  Africa. 

Bochart,  Vitringa,  Merrick,  Lowth,  Jubb,  and  Du- 
l el  1 ,  fuppofe  this  animal  to  be  intended  by  the  word 
t  ran  Hated  fpearmen,  Pfal.  lxviii.  30.  where  the  Egyp¬ 
tians  are  referred  to  and  intended. 

HOG.  An  animal  well  known.  In  impurity  and 
groffnefs  of  manners,  this  creature  (lands  almofl  unri¬ 
valled  among  the  order  of  quadrupeds  :  And  the 
meannefs  of  his  appearance  correlponds  to  the  giofl- 
nefs  of  his  manners  :  He  has  a  mofl  indifcriminate, 
voracious,  and  infatiable  appetite.  His  form  is  inele¬ 
gant ;  his  eyes,  diminutive  and  deep  funk  in  his  head ; 
and  his  carriage  mean  and  fluggifh.  His  unwieldy 
Thane  renders  him  no  lefs  incapable  of  fwiftnefs  and 
fprightlinefs,  than  he  is  of  gracefulnefs  of  motion. 
His  appearance  is  alfo  drowfy  and  llupid.  He  de¬ 
lights  to  balk  in  the  fun,  and  to  wallow  in  the  mire. 
Elis  grunting  voice  is  well  known.  An  approaching 
ilerm  feems  to  affefl  him  in  a  fingular  manner  .  On 
fuch  an  occasion  he  runs  about  in  a  frantic  Hate,  and 

utters  loud  fhrieks  of  horror. 

The  flefh  of  this  animal  was  exprefsly  forbidden 

the  Jews  by  the  Levitical  law.1  And  they  after¬ 
wards  held  it  in  fuch  detection  that  they  would  not 

fo  much  as  pronounce  its  name.  When  old  Eleazer 

was 

*  See  the  reafon  in  mv  dlformlens  illaftrating  feverai  parages  01 
f  .ripture,  DifiT.  iv. 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


135 


was  taken  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  he  was  vehe¬ 
mently  urged  to  tade  fw ine’s  flefh,  or  at  lead  to  pre¬ 
tend  to  tade  it.  His  mouth  was  opened  by  force  to 
compel  him  to  eat  of  it  ;  but  he  chofe  rather  to  dif¬ 
fer  death,  than  to  break  the  law  of  God,  and  give  of¬ 
fence  to  his  nation.* 

It  is  obferved  that  when  Adrian  rebuilt  Jerufalem, 
he  fet  up  the  image  of  a  hcg,  in  bas  relief,  upon  the 
gates  of  the  city,  to  drive  the  Jews  away  from  it,  and 
to  exprefs  the  greater  contempt  for  that  milerable 
people. 

It  was  avarice,  a  contempt  of  the  law  of  Mofcs, 
and  a  delign  to  fupply  the  neighbouring  idolaters  with 
victims,  that  caufed  whole  herds  of  fwine  to  be  fed  in 
Galilee.  Whence  the  occafion  is  plain  of  Chrifl’s 
permitting  the  diforder  that  caufed  them  to  fling 
ihemfelves  headlong  into  the  lake  of  Genezareth. 

HONEY.  A  fweet  vegetable  juice,  collected  by 
the  bees  from  various  flowers,  and  depofitcd  in  the 
cells  of  the  comb. 

Moll  probably,  that  the  jews  might  keep  at  didance 
from  the  cudoms  of  the  heathen,  who  were  ufed  to 
offer  honey  in  their  facriHcest,  God  forbids  that  any 
fhould  be  offered  to  him,  See  Levit.  ii.  1 1 .  But  at 
the  fame  time  commanded  that  they  fhould  prefent 
him  the  fird  fruits  of  it.  Thefe  fil'd  fruits  and  offer¬ 
ings  were  defigned  for  the  fupport  and  fudenance  of 
the  prieds,  and  were  not  offered  upon  the  altar.  Yet, 
as  by  the  Hebrew  word  for  honey  the  Rabbins  and 
authors  of  Hebrew  dictionaries  underhand  not  only 

that 

*  2  Maccab.  vi.  iS. 

t  Hcrodot.  J.  2,  Vide  Eochari:  de  An.  Sac.  p.  1. 1.  4.  c.  n,  jnjf. 
Ezck,  xvi,  1S,  iQ. 


i'3t>  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

that  produced  by  bees,  but  a  fweet  fyrrup  procured 
trom  dates  when  in  maturity*,  it  is  mod:  probable  this 
patter  fort  is  intended  in  the  offering  of  which  we  are 
ipeaking.  This  is  tne  moielikely,  as  the  law  requires 
as  an  offering  to  God  only  th  z  firft  fruits  and  tenths  of 
tat  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  of  living  creatures  A  And  the 
Jewifh  Dofiors  obierve  that  devefh ,  rendered  honey  in 
2  Chron*  xxxi.  5.  hgnifies  properly  dates .  And  the 
Arabians  at  this  day  call  the  dates  dubous,  and  the  hon¬ 
ey  obtained  from  them  dibs,  or  dibis. 

It  is  certain  that  honey  was  formerly  very  common 

m  Paleftine  :  So  that  it  was  called  a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey.  J 

In  hot  weather  the  honey  burft  the  comb  and  ran 
down  the  hollow  trees  or  rocks,  where,  in  the  land  of 
Judea,  the  bees  depofited  great  (lore  of  it.§  Which, 
flowing  fpontaneoufiy,  muff  be  the  beft  and  molt 
delicious,  as  it  muff  be  quite  pure  and  free  from  all 
dregs  and  wax.  This  the  Ifraelites  called  wood  hon - 
tyjjf  or  honey  felf  cured,  in  contradiction  to  thatw  hich 
was  fqueezed  out  of  the  comb  by  the  hand,  which, 
for  that  reafon,  could  not  be  fo  pure  and  unmixed, 
Jonathan  therefore,  1  Sam.  xiv.  27.  did  not  put  his 
flick  into  a  honey  comb ,  but  into  that  part  of  the  honey 
which  was  running  down  the  tree  or  rock  ;  or  into 
the  wood  honey ,  as  diftinguifhed  from  that  which  was 
above  in  the  comb.  Dipt  it  in  the  running  part  of  the 

honey . 

*  Jofephus  mentions  this  palm  honey ;  de  bell  Jud.  J.  5,  c.  3.  fee 
alfo Hiller.  Hieroph.  p.  i.  p.  125.  Celf.  Hierob.  p.  2.  p,  476. 
f  Exod.  xxxiv.  16.  Num,  xxviii.  26.  Deut.  xviii.  4.  xxvi.  2. 
t  Exod.  iii.  8.  xiii.  5.  and  Deut.  xxxii.  13.  Pfal 

3xxx.  17,  &c, 

§  1  Sam.  xiv.  zc,  26. 

II  my' 


1 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E.  137 

honey*  Nor  fhould  the  word  be  tranQated  honey  comb , 
Cantic.  v.  1.  but  pure  zvood  honey  ;  and  then  devejh 
which  is  there  joined  with,  is  to  be  underftood  ot 
common  honey,  or  rather  perhaps  of  palm  honey. 
Milk  and  honey  were  the  chief-  dainties  andfubfifl- 
ance  of  the  earlier  ages*  ;  and  continue  to  be  fo  of 
the  Bedoween  Aaabs  now, 

Harmer,  in  his  remarks  on  Ifai.  vii.  15+,  has  fhewri 
that  butter,  milk,  and  honey,  are  elteemed  as  delicacies 
in  the  Eaft  ;  and  as  fuch  denote  a  hate  of  plenty. 
See  alio  Jofh.  v.  6.  The  circumltance  therefore  of 
the  child’s  feeding  upon  them  naturally  exprelies  the 
plenty  of  the  country  as  a  mark  of  peace  reftored  to 
it. 

Ihe  wild  honey,  mentioned  to  have  been  a  part  of 
the  food  of  John  the  baptift,  may  infinuate  to  us  the 
great  plenty  there  was  of  it  in  the  defarts  of  Judea. — - 
And  at  the  prefent  day  Hebron  alone  fends  every 
year  into  Egypt  300  camel’s  loads,  that  is  near  2000 
quintals,  of  the  robb ,  which  they  call  dibfe ,  the  famp 
word  that  is  rendered  honey  in  the  fct'iptures. t 

The  poets  feigned  that  in  the  golden  age  the  honey 
dropped  from  the  leaves  of  the  trees. §  It  is  no  un¬ 
common  thing  to  find  a  fweet,  glutinous,  liquor  on 
oak  and  maple  leaves,  which  might  have  fuggefled 
the  idea  ,  that, in  the  happier  era  the  trees  abounded 
with  honey.  Virgil  calls  it  heavenly  and  aerial  jj  be- 
caufe  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  ancient  philofophers 
that  it  was  derived  from  the  dew  of  heaven,  Ariffq. 

M  2 

*  CalHm-  Hy™«  in  Jov.  43.  Hjsv  OJyfT.  xx,  63.  et  Eufta&iu* 

in  Loc.  Horn. 

•f  Obf.  v.  1.  p.  299,  J  Shaw,  p.  367,  Note, 

§  Virg.  Geor.  i.  131,  Ovik  and  Virg.  Ed.  iv. 

Ifpsor.  iv*  1, 


138  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

tie  calls  it  th edezo  of  the  air  :  and  Pliny  thefweat  of  hea - 
ven.  The  Ifraelites  adopted  nearly  the  fame  opinion 
refpe&ing  their  manna. 

HORNET.  A  winged  infeft  of  the  bee  kind, 
furnifhed  with  a  Ring,  a  wound  from  which  is  at¬ 
tended  with  great  pain  and  inflammation.  Our  trank 
1  at  ion  of  the  fcriptuie  mentions  great  (warms  of  them 
as  plaguing  the  Canaanites  in  the  days  of  Jofhua.* 
It  is  likely  that  the  zimb  is  the  infeft  here  referred 
to.+  Elian  tells  us  that  the  Phafelites  who  dwelt  a-i 
bout  the  mountains  of  Solyma  were  driven  out  of 
their  native  country  by  wafps.  As  thefe  Phafelites 
were  Phenicians  or  Canaanites,  it  is  probable  that 
this  event  is  the  fame  as  took  place  in  the  days  of 
Jofh  ua. 

HORSE.  A  very  ferviceable  and  well  known 
bead. 

If  cudom  had  not  dignibed  the  lion  with  the  title  of 
king  oj  beaflsy  reafon,  one  would  think,  could  no  where 
confer  that  honour  more  defervedly  than  on  the  horfe , 
As  to  the  lion,  he  is  endowed  with  no  kingly  quali¬ 
ties  whatever,  except  thofe  of  devouring  his  fubje&s, 
and  infpiring  them  with  terror  :  But  the  horfe,  on 
the  contrary,  is  never  injurious  to  other  creatures, 
either  in  their  perfons  or  properties  ;  his  qualities  are 
all  amiable,  and  there  is  nothing  in  him  that  can  ex¬ 
cite  the  lead  averfion.  There  is  fuch  a  noblenefs  in 
his  difpofition,  fuch  a  beauty  in  his  formation,  and 
fuch  a  grandeur  in  his  whole  deportment,  as  flrongly 
attra&s  our  regard,  and  commands  our  admiration. 
And  if  we  confider  in  how  many  various  ways  he  is 

ufeful 

•  Deut,  vii,  20,  Jofli.  xxiy,  12.  f  See  the  article  Fly. 


) 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  139 

ufeful  and  beneficial  to  mankind,  we  fhall  become 
more  and  more  engaged  in  his  favour  ?  Is  he  lequiica 
to  cultivate  our  land,  to  bear  home  our  harvefts,  or  to 
carry  our  goods  or  perfons  from  place  to  place  ?  He 
is  always  prepared,  and  always  willing,  though  weari¬ 
ed  in  our  fervice  ?  Is  he  defign^d  for  nobler  f ports  ? 

;  With  v/hat  ardour  he  feems  infpired  !  Hefnuffsthe 
air,  paws  the  ground,  neighs,  and  feems  to  call  alouc. 
for  the  trial  :  And  in  the  generous  contention,  luch 
is  his  eagernefs  and  emulation,  that  he  will  often  rath¬ 
er  die  than  be  overcome.  Or  ?  Is  he  called  for  to 
bear  our  warriors  to  the  field  of  battle  ?  j  How  valu¬ 
able  his  (Length,  his  fwiftnefs,  and  his  conqueft  ! 
««  His  neck  is  clothed  zoith  thunder .  T he  glory  oj  his  nof- 
trils  is  terrible .  He  paaveth  the  valley  and  rejoiceth  in  his 
Jlrength ,  He  goeth  on  to  meet  the  armed  men ,  He  mocketh 
at  danger ,  and  is  not  affrighted  2  neither  turneth  he  back 
from  the  /word,  The  quiver  rattleth  againjl  him ,  the  glit¬ 
tering  [pear  and  the  Jhield •  He  fcoalloweth  the  ground  zoith 
fiercenejs  and  rage .  Neither  beheveth  he  that  it  is  the  found 
of  the  trumpet .  He  faith  among  the  trumpets  /  ha  !  ha  J 
And  he  fmelleth  the  battle  afar  off  2  the  thunder  of  the  cap~ 
tains ,  and  the  Jhoutingd'* 

Horfes  were  very  rare  among  the  Hebrews  until 
Solomon’s  time.  Before  him  we  find  no  horfemen 
mentioned  in  the  armies  of  Ifrael.  God  forbad  the 
kings  of  his  people  to  keep  many  horfes  t;  left  at  any 
time  they  might  be  induced  to  carry  back  the  people 
to  Egypt.  He  commanded  Jofhua  to  hamftring  the 
horfes  of  the  Canaanites,  which  he  fhould  take  in 
battle,  and  to  burn  their  chariots  of  war.J  David5 
having  won  a  great  vi6lory  over  the  forces  of  Hadad* 

ezer, 

•f  Deut.  xvii.  jo*  %  2  Sam.  viii.  4,  5.# 


*  job.  xxxix,  19—25. 


I 


*4°  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

ezer,  king  of  Shobah,  took  1700  horfes,  and  lamed 
all  belonging  to  the  chariots  of  war,  referving  only 
an  hundred  chariots.— The  Judges  and  Princes  of 
Hrael  ufed  generally  to  ride  on  mules  or  afTes.  Af¬ 
ter  David’s  time  horfes  were  more  common  in  the 
country  of  Judea.-— Solomon  having  married  the 
daughter  of  Pharaoh,  procured  a  fine  breed  of  horf¬ 
es  from  Egypt,  fome  of  them  at  the  rate  of  fix  hun¬ 
dred  inekels  of  filver,  (about  one  hundred  pounds  in 
our  money.*)  He,  firR  of  the  Hebrews,  began  to 
multiply  horfes  ;  and  had  4000  Rabies,  40.000  Ralls, 
and  12,000  horfemen.d 

As  the  EaRern  heathens,  who  worfhipped  the  fun 
imagined  that  he  rode  along  the  fky  in  a  chariot 
drawn  by  fleet  horfes,  to  communicate  his  light  and 
warmth  to  the  world,  they  confecrated  to  him  the 
fineR  Reeds  or  chariots.  With  thefe  they  rode  to 
the  eaRern  gates  of  their  cities  as  the  fun  arofe  ;  or 
they  held  them  fo  facred  that  none  might  ride  on 
them.  We  read  in  the  fecond  book  of  Kings,  xxiii, 
17.  that  Jofliua  took  away  the  horfes  from  the  courf 
of  the  temple  which  the  kings  of  Judah  his^predecef- 
lors  had  confecrated  to  the  fun. 

The  Rabbins  inform  us  that  thefe  horfes  were  every 
morning  put  to  the  chariot  dedicated  to  the  fun, 
whereof  there,  is  mention  made  in  the  fame  book;£  • 
and  that  the  king,  or  fome  of  his  officers,  got  up 
and  rode  to  meet  the  fun  in  its  rifing,  as  far  as  from 
the  eaRern  gate. of  the  temple  to  the  fuburbs  of  Je^ 
rufalem.§ 

HORSELEECH, 

1  Kings,  x.  26.  fi  Kings,  vi,  26.  z.Cbron,  1x^25. 

J  2  Kings,  xxiii.  ii.. 

§  Rabb,  Salom.  and  Kimchi,. 


141 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E. 

HORSELEECH.  A  fort  of  worm  that  lives  in 
the  water  ;  of  a  black  or  brown  colour  :  which  fall¬ 
ens  unon  the  flefh,  and  does  not  quit  it  until  it  is  en¬ 
tirely  full  of  blood.* 

Solomon  fays,  the  hor/eleech  hath  tzvo  daughters,  givc> 
give  A  This  is  pride,  whole  offspring  are  avarice  and 
ambition ,  which  are  infatiable. 

BochartJ,  however,  has  fhewn  that  tranflators  have  . 
been  midaken  in  confounding  alluca,  with  alaca,  which 
indeed  fignifies  a  horfeleech,  whereas  the  former 
means  what  we  call  dejtiny ,  or  the  necefiity  of  dying, 
to  which  the  ancient  Rabbins  gave  two  daughters, 
Eden ,  or  Paradife,  and  Hades ,  or  hell.  The  firfl  of 
which  invites  the  good ,  the  fecond  calls  for  the  wicked . 
This  interpretation  feems  drengthenedby  the  obferva- 
tion  of  Solomon,  Prov.  xxvii.  20.  Hill  and  deJlruSUon , 
(that  is,  hades  and  the  grave)  are  never fatisjted . 

HUSKS.  The  prodigal  fon,  opprefled  by  want 
and  pinched  by  hunger,  dehred  to  feed  on  the  hujks 
which  were  provided  for  the  hcgs.§  But  the 
mod  learned  commentators  ||  are  of  opinion  that  the 

Greek  word  ke^octioc  hgnifies  carob  beans,  in  Latin  fill* 
qua  ;  the  fruit  of  a  tree  bearing  the  fame  name.— 
There  was  a  fort  of  wine,  or  liquor,  of  great  ufe  in 
Syria,  drawn  from  them,  and  the  lees  and  hulks  were 
given  to  hogs. 

Horace,  fpeaking  of  an  unhappy  man,  fays  *  he  lives 
on  hulks  and  mean  food.’  The  fame  is  probably 
meant  by  the  dry  morjd ,  Prov.  xvii,  1. 

The 

#  u  Non  mifTura  cutem  nifi  plena  cruor’.s  Ilirudo .”  Herat* 

+  Prov.  xxx.  15.  %  De  Anim.  Sac.  p.  1. 1.  1.  c.  9, 

$  Luke,  xv.  16. 

1!  Syr.  Arab.  Grot.  Hammond,  Le  Clerc,  Bochart,  & c, 


M2  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

The  fruit  is  very  common  in  Paleftine,  Greece,  It- 
aly,  Provence,  and  Barbary.  It  is  fuffered  to  ripen 
and  glow  dry  upon  the  tree.  The  poor  feed  upon  it, 
and  the  cattle  are  fattened  by  it.  The  tree  on  which 
it  grows  is  of  a  middle  fize,  full  of  branches,  and  a- 
bounding  with  round  leaves  of  an  inch  or  two  in  di¬ 
ameter.  The  blolfoms  of  it  are  little  red  cluflers, 
with  yellow  (talks.  The  fruit  itfelf  is  a  flat  cod,  from 
fix  to  fourteen  inches  in  length,  one  and  an  half 
broad  ;  compolea  of  two  hulks  feparated  by  mem¬ 
branes  into  feveral  cells, '  wherein  are  contained  flat 
feeds.  The  fubftance  of  thefe  hulks,  or  pods,  is  filled 
with  a  fweetifh  kind  of  juice. 

[See  Locuji  of  St.  J&knS\ 

HYACINTH.*  A  beautiful,  variegated,  odorifer¬ 
ous  flower. 

BYACIN  TH  STONE.  The  ancients  thus  called 
a  gem  of  a  violet  colour.  If  it  now  be  at  all  known 
it  is  ranked  among  the  ameihyfls. 

Ihe  fpoufe,  in  Solomon’s  fongh,  fays  that  her  be¬ 
loved’s  hands  were  as  gold  rings  fet  with  hyacinths. 
And  St.  John  fays  that  the  eleventh  foundation  of 
the  heavenly  Jerufalem  is  to  be  of  hyacinth.  The 
Hebrew  text  of  the  Canticles  reads  the  flone  of 
Tarfhifh.  It  is  alfo  mentioned  in  Exodus,  xxviii.  20, 
We  do  not  well  know  what  (lone  it  is  ;  but  the  gen¬ 
erality  explain  it  chryfolite . 

HYACINTH  COLOUR,  is  mentioned  by  Mofes, 
Exod.  xxv.  14,  He  makes  ule  of  the  Hebrew  word 

1  echo  loth, 

*  Hyacinthuf*  Lin«  Gen.  Plant.  385.  Tournef.  Inft.  R.  H.  34a, 
Tab.  180, 

f  Ch,  v.  14. 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


M3 

techololh ,  which,  according  to  the  mod  learned  inter¬ 
preters*,  was  an  azure  blue,  or  very  deep  purple,  like 
a  deep  violet.  This  colour  was  dyed  with  the  blood 
of  a  kind  of  cyder  called  in  Latin  murex ,  in  Hebrew 

- chi  If  on ♦ 

HYAENA .  (In  Hebrew  tfdoa.  Thus  the  Greek 
Interpreters  have  rendered,  1  Sam.  xiii.  18 .  the  valley  of- 
Ztboim  (pxg&yyoc,  ruv  vxwcw,  ‘  the  valley  of  Hyaenas.’) 
A  kind  of  ravenous  wolf  in  Arabia,  Syria,  and  Afri¬ 
ca.  It  is  a  little  bigger  than  a  large  madid'  dog,  which 
it  refembles  in  many  refpe&s.  Its  colour  is  grey,  and 
dreaked  tranfverfely  with  black.  1  he  hair  is  harfh, 
of  an  afh  colour,  and  fomewhat  longer  than  that  of 
a  dov, 

o 

This  animal  is  filent,  favage,  and  folitary  ;  cruel, 
fierce,  and  untameable.  It  is  continually  in  a  date 
of  rage  or  rapacity  :  Forever  growling,  except  when 
devouring  its  food.  Its  eyes  then  gliden,  the  bridles 
on  its  back  dand  erebl,  and  its  teeth  appear  ;  which 
all  together  give  it  a  mod  dreadful  afpett.  And  the 
terror  is  heightened  by  its  horrible  howl,  which,  it 
is  faid,  is  fometimes  midaken  for  that  of  a  human 
voice  in  diftrefs*  For  its  dze  it  is  the  mod  ferocious 
and  the  mod  terrible  of  all  other  quadrupeds.  And 
its  courage  is  equal  to  its  ferocity.  It  defends  itfelf 
againft  the  lion,  is  a  match  for  the  panther,  and  fre¬ 
quently  overcomes  the  ounce.  Caverns  of  the  moun¬ 
tains,  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  and  fubterraneous  dens 
are  its  chief  lurking  places.  Its  liking  of  dog’s  flelb, 
or,  as  it  is  commonly  expreded,  its  averfion  to  dogs, 
is  particularly  mentioned  by  Mr.  Bruce.  This  ani- 

modty 

*  See  Braunlus  de  Veftim.  Haebr.  Sacred.  1,  i.  c.  13. 


144  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

mofify  between  the  two  animals,  although  it  has  ef- 
caped  the  notice  of  modern  naturalifts,  appears  to 
have  been  known  to  the  ancients  in  the  Eaft.  In 
•Eccletialhcus  ch.  xiii.  iS«  it  is  faid  j  What,  agreement 
' '  there  between  the  hyaena  and  the  dog  ?  A  tuflicient  proof 
that  the  antipathy  was  fo  well  known  as  to  be  pro- 
verbial. 

In  Jeremiah  xii.  9.  indead  of  fpeckled  bird  it  fcould 
have  been,  as  in  the  Septuagint,  hycena ,  and  beajis  of 
prey.  Our  tranflators  did  not  confider  that  the  verfe, 
as  they  have  rendered  it,  could  have  little  or  no  re- 
lation  with  what  goes  before  or  after.  For  What 
conformity  could  there  be  between  a  fpeckled  bird 
and  favage  beads  ?  e  mud  therefore  obferve  with 
Lochart  that  what  gave  occafion  to  this  midake  was 
that  the  Hebrew  word  which  is  rendered  bird ,  figni- 
fies  birds  of  prey  and  beajis  of  prey  ;  and  that  tfeboa  fig- 
nifies  any  thimg  of  divers  colours .  Whence  the  He¬ 
brews  called  the  ferpent  cenchris  by  a  fimilar  name  on 
account  of  its  fpots.* 

Since  therefore,GoD  manifedly  reproaches  the  Jews 
in  this  place  for  having  cad  off  reafonable  and  honed 
inclinations,  and  become  like  the  mod  cruel  and  raw 
enous  beads,  it  had  been  much  more  natural  for  our 
ttrandators  to  have  followed  the  lxx,  than  the  vulgate* 
and  to  have  rendered  the  word  thus, 

Mine  heritage  is  unto  me  as  the  ravenous  hyaena  : 

Fierce  beajis  of  the  defart  are  round  about  it . 

This  gives  a  proper  fenfe,  agreeable  to  the  defign 
of  the  prophet  ;  whereas  that  of  a  fpeckled  bird  gives 
us  but  a  falfe  and  ridiculous  idea. 

HYSSOP. 

*  Fuller's  Mifcel.  1.  6.  c.  29,  Berefchlt  Rabbi,  c.  7.  eplft.  M.  S» 
Holmie  dcaaimak  Elias  Enthifbi, 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


M5 

HYSSOP.  An  herb  very  generally  known,  and 
in  Hebrew  called  efob,  It  grows  in  great  plenty  on 
the  mountains  near  Jcrufalem  :  It  is  of  a  bitter  taffe  ; 
but  feafoned  with  honey,  was  frequently  eaten. 

It  was  ufed  in  the  facred  fprinklings  of  water  and 
blood,  tied  to  a  cedar  flick  with  a  fcarlet  twine,  to 
fignify  cleaning  from  guilt  and  moral  pollution. 

It  doth  not  appear,  from  the  reports  of  the  botanifls, 
who  have  travelled  into  Pale  (line,  that  the  hyflbp  of 
the  holy  land,  as  hath  been  fuppofed,  ever  grew  to 
fuch  a  height  as  to  be  capable  of  being  ufed  for  a  reed, 
on  which  the  Evangel ifls*  fay,  in  the  fame  words,  tha 
fpunge  was  conveyed  to  our  Saviour.  And,  indeed, 
if  it  were  fo,  the  exprefiion  could  hardly  be  admitted. 
Philo  tells  us,  in  his  tra£l  on  a  contemplative  lifef,  that 
hyflbp  was  ufed  by  the  Ellenes,  who  were  abltemi- 
ous  even  to  mortification,  for  the  purpofe  of  giving  a 
relifh  to  their  bread  and  fait ;  by  which  he  infinuates, 
that  what  was  bitter  and  unpleafant  to  other  palates 
was  a  delicacy  to  them  :  For  hyffop  is  a  bitter  herb, 
and  of  a  harfh  tafle,  hot  in  the  mouth,  and  of  a  flrong 
imell.  Now,  all  the  difficulty  of  this  paffage  in  St. 
John  arifes  from  an  idea  that  ucr<7to7rw  here  mull  mean 
the  fame  with  in  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark : 

Whereas  St.  John  does  not  mention  the  reed  ;  but 
fays,  that  when  they  had  put  the  fponge  upon  hyflbp, 
i.  e,  when  they  had  added  bitter  to  the  four ,  or  gall  to 
the  vinegar,  they  advanced  it  to  his  mouth,  no  doubt, 
with  the  reed.  In  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark,  the 

word  is  a :  In  St.  John  TTpOGWiyuGW  aula  too 

(flop  flly 

*  Math,  xxvii.  48.  Mark,  xv.  36.  John,  tix.  29. 

Y  P.  884,  ed.  fol. 


N 


M6  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

< rV*1*>  which  mak«  the  repetition  of  xuX x/m  lefs 
noceffary.  Add  to  this  the  paraphrafe  of  Nonnus, 
who  undoubtedly  underflood  it  in  the  fenfe  it  is  here 
explained. 

&pzy£v  uc tctwttw  xtKspourpsvQir  o£©->  oAsSpa.’ 

JACKALL*  A  bead  between  the  wolf  and  the 
dog;  and,  participating  the  nature  of  both,  to  the 
inynefs  and  rerocity  of  the  one,  unites  the  impudence 
and  familiarity  of  the  other. 

Its  voice  is  a  kind  of  howl,  mixed  with  barking 
and  groaning  ;  it  is  more  noify  than  the  dog,  and 
more  voracious  than  the  wolf.  It  never  dirs  out  a- 
h)ne,  but  always  in  flocks  of  twenty,  thirty  or  forty. 
1  hey  col  left  together  every  day  to  go  in  fearch  of 
their  prey  :  They  live  on  little  animals,  and  make 
themfelves  formidable  to  the  molt  powerful,  by  their 
number.  They  attack  every  kind  of  beads  or  birds, 
alrnofl  in  the  prefence  of  the  human  fpecies.  They 
abruptly  enter  /tables,  fheep  folds,  and  other  places, 
without  any  fign  of  fear;  and  when  they  can  find 
nothing  elfe  they  will  devour  boots,  fiioes,  harnefles, 
<kc.  and  what  leather  they  have  not  time  to  confume 
they  take  away  with  them.  When  they  cannot  meet 
with  any  live  prey  they  dig  up  the  dead  carcafes  of 
men  and  animals.  The  natives  are  obliged  to  cover 
the  graves  with  large  thorns  and  other  things,  to  pre¬ 
vent  them  from  fcratching,  and  digging  up  the  dead 
bodies.  The  dead  are  alfo  buried  very  deep  in  the 
earth,  for,  it  is  not  a  little  trouble  that  difeourages 
them.  Numbers  of  them  work  together  and  accom¬ 
pany  their  labour  with  a  doleful  cry.  And  when 
they  are  once  accu domed  to  feed  on  dead  bodies, 

they 

A  V 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


147 


•they  run  from  country  to  country,  follow  armies  and 
keep  clofe  to  the  caravans.  They  will  eat  the  molt 
infectious  flelh  ;  their  appetite  is  fo  conflant,  and  fo 
vehement,  that  the  dried  leather  is  favoury  to  them, 
and  fkin,  flelh,  fat,  excrement,  or  the  mod  putrified 
animal,  is  alike  to  their  tade.  [See  To*.] 

JASPER.  A  fern i pellucid  done.  Its  general  col¬ 
our  is  green  ;  but  it  is  frequently  Ipotted  or  clouded 
with  fevcral  others,  as  yellow,  blue,  brown,  red,  and 
white. 

It  was  the  third  done  in  the  bread  plate  of  the 
high  pried*  :  And  is  to  be  the  fird  in  the  founda¬ 
tion  of  the  New  Jeiufalem.t 

JERBU A.  A  {mail,  harmlefs  animal,  of  the  rat 
kind  :  Remarkable  for  having  legs  extremely  dilpro- 
portionate,  thole  before  being  about  two  inches  long, 
and  the  others  about  two  inches  and  one  fourth,  exact¬ 
ly  refembling  thofe  of  a  bird  :  Thefe  Icem  adapted 
for  fpringing  rather  than  for  walking. 

The  head  is  (loped  fomewhat  in  the  manner  of  a 

■K 

rabbit  ;  but  the  eyes  are  larger,  and  the  ears  fhorter, 
though  elevated  and  open,  in  refpeCl  to  its  fize.  Its 
nofe  and  hair,  are  of  a  flefh  colour,  its  mouth  fhort 
and  thick,  the  orifice  of  the  mouth  very  narrow,  the 
upper  jaw  very  full,  the  lower  narrow  and  fhort,  the 
teeth  like  thofe  of  a  rabbit,  the  fore  feet  are  very 
fhort  and  never  touch  the  ground  ;  they  are  furni di¬ 
ed  with  four  claws,  which  are  only  ufed  as  hands  to 
carry  the  food  to  the  animal’s  mouth  ;  the  hind  feet 
have  but  three  claws,  the  middle  one  longer  than  the 
.other  two  *,  the  tail  is  three  times  as  long  as  the  body; 

and 

*  Exoch  xxvii,  2,0. 


^  Revel,  xxi,  19, 


MS  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

and  is  covered  with  fliort  ftubborn  hair,  of  the  fame 
colour  as  that  on  the  back,  but  tufted  at  the  end  with 
longer  and  fofter  hair;  the  legs,  nofc,  and  eyes  are 
bare,  and  of  a  flefh  colour  :  The  upper  part  of  the 
head  and  back,  aie  covered  with  an  afh  coloured 
hair;  the  Tides,  throat,  and  belly,  are  whitifh,  and 
below  the  loins,  and  near  the  tail,  there  is  a  large 
biacK.  tranfverlal  band,  in  the  form  of  a  crefcent. 

Thefe  little  animals  commonly  conceal  their  hands, 
or  fore  feet,  within  their  hair  ;  fo  that  it  is  faid  by 
lome  that  they  have  only  hinder  feet.  When  they 
move  fiom  one  place  to  another,  they  do  not  walk, 
that  is  advance  one  foot  before  the  other,  but  jumn 
or  bound  about  four  or  five  feet  at  a  time.  This  is 
done  with  great  eafe  and  fwiftnefs,  with  the  body 
held  ereft,  after  the  manner  of  birds  when  they  hop 
on  the  ground.  When  they  reft  it  is  a  kneeling  pof- 
ture  ;  and  they  fleep  only  in  the  day.  In  the  night 
time  they  feek  for  their  food,  like  hares,  and  like 
them  feed  on  grafs,  corn,  and  other  grain. 

This  little  creature  is  not  the  Japhan  of  the  ferip- 
tures  as  many  have  fuppofed,  but  that  animal  tranllat- 
ed  moufc  in  Ifalahlxvi.  17.  and  in  divers  other  places. 

It  was  by  the  canons  declared  to  be  unclean. 

1 ' 

ILEX.  T  he  evergreen  oak  commonly  called  the 
/holly.*  The  leaves  are  from  three  to  four  inches 
long,  and  one  broad  near  the  bafe,  gradually  leffening 
to  a  point.  They  are  of  a  lucid  green  on  the  upper 
fide,  but  whitifti  and  downy  on  the  under  ;  and  are  en¬ 
tire, ftandingon  pretty  long  foot  ftalks.  Thefe  remain  on 
the  tree,  retaining  their  verdure  through  the  year,  and 

do 

*  I/ex,  Ln»  g  plant.  15?#  Aqu'/oIU  1??,  Tourn.  in  ft.  R.  H.  6co. 
tab,  371, 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  149 

do  not  fall  till  they  are  thruft  ofF  by  young  leaves  in 
the  fpring. 

It  bears  an  acorn,  fmaller  than  thcfe  of  the  com¬ 
mon  oak  but  fimilarly  fhaped.  [See  Ehn,  Oak,~] 

IRON,  An  ore  of  a  blackifh  blue  fhining  colour- 
The  metal,  and  its  properties  and  ufes,  are  well 
known. 

The  Rones  of  Canaan  were  iron .  Deut.  viii.  9, 
that  is,  were  very  hard  ;  and,  perhaps,  contained  iron 
ore.  The  heavens,  in  fcripture*,  are  likened  to  iron 
and  the  earth  to  brafs ,  when  the  air  yields  no  rain  and 
t lie  hardened  Foil  no  crop.  Iron ,  applied  to  yoke, 
furnace,  fceptre,  denotes  what  is  galling,  fevere,  and 
opprefiive.i  And,  when  applied  to  hoofs  or  teeth, 
it  implies  great  power  to  defeat  and  ability  to  de- 
ftroy.J 

<2  Can  iron  break  the  northern  iron  and  the  Jleel  §  P  Iti 
vain  the  obftinate  Jews  thought  to  outbrave  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  whom  God  made  like  an  iron  pil¬ 
lar  j|;  in  vain  they  attempted  to  reft  ft  the  Chaldean  army. 

Chariots  of  ironll,  are  fuch  as  are  armed  with  iron, 
with  fpikes  and  fcythes. 

As  iron  Jharpeneth  [or,  is  Jharpened  ly~]  iron,  fays  So¬ 
lomon**,  fo  a  man  is  Jharpened  by  the  countenance  of  his 
friend y  That  is,  receives  alacrity  and  fnirits. 

JUNIPER.  A  reft  nous,  evergreen  flirub  ;  well 
known. 

As 

*  Levit.  xxvi,  19. 

t  Jerem.  xxviii.  13.  and  xi.  4.  Deut.  iv.  20.  Pfal.  u.  9.  Rev.  \\, 
27.  and  xii.  5.  1  Kings,  viii.  61.  &c. 

X  Micah,  iv.  13.  Dan.  vi«,  7.  ^  Jerem.  xv.  12. 

1J  Jerem.  i.  18,  ^  j  >/h.  xvii.  16,  17.  **  Prov.  xxvii.  i?a 

N  2 


*  50  Th  e  N  A  T  URAL  II I  S  T  O  R  Y 

As  the  Arabic  word  ratam ,  which  anfwers  to  th« 
Hebrew  retem  or  rethem ,  feems  to  be  explained  by  the 
Spanifli  retama,  probably  firft  introduced  into  Spain 
by  the  Moors,  and  that  word  is  known  to  fignify 
broom ,  Celfius*  thinks  it  clear  that  it  mull  be  the 
plant  that  the  Hebrews  called  rethem .  Job  complains/ 
that  poor  half  famifhed  fellows  defpifed  him,  vvhofe 
condition  had  been  fo  neceffitous  that  they  were 
obliged  to  ufe  juniper  roots  for  food .  The  Chaldee 
reads  it  a  Kind  of  broom .  This,  though  an  unufual 
anc  hard  diet  was  more  palatable  and  nutritious  than 
the  ligneous  and  rancid  roots  of  juniper.  And  Diof- 
corides  obferves  that  the  orobanche .  or  rane,  which 
grows  from  the  roots  of  broom,  was  iometimes  eaten 
raw  or  boiled  like  afparagus. 

Elijah  is  faid,  1  Kings  xix.  4.  to  reft  under  a  juni¬ 
per.  Virgil  /peaks  of  the  broom  as  fupplying  browfe 
to  the  cattle  and  fhade  to  the  fhepherds./ 

David  complains  thus  of  the  calumniating  cruelty 
of  his  enemies- — it  is  like  arrows  of  the  mighty,  with  coats 
of  juniper .§  It  is  true  indeed  that  juniper  abounds 
v/ith  a  piercing  oil  and  makes  a  fmart  fire  :  And  Pliny, 
in  his  ufual  llyle  of  exaggeration,  affirms  that  its  coals 
raked  up  will  keep  a  glowing  fire  for  the  fpace  of  a 
year.  Admitting  this  as  expreffive  of  their  Iafting 
quality,  the  obfervation  of  the  Pfalmift  will  emphati¬ 
cally  imply  not  only  the  feverity  but  the  lading  fire 
of  malice.  Retaining  however  our  appropriation  of 
the  original  word  to  broom ,  we  may  recollefl  that  The- 
venot  fays [| ,  that  this  laft  mentioned  plant  was  ufed 
for  fuel  by  himfelf  and  his  fellow  travellers  in  the 

defart : 

*  Hierob.  tom.  1.  p.  247* 

X  Georg.  2.  v.  434. 

[I  Tray,  l.  2.  p,  1.  ch.  25. 


/  Ch.  xxx.  4, 
§  Pfal.  cxx.  4. 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


151 

defart  :  Indeed  feveral  travellers  mention  it  as  uled 
for  heating  ovens,  See. 

IVORY.  [Hebrew  fchenhabbim ,  from  fhtn  teeth, 
and  habbim  elephants*.*] 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  Jews  had  any  ivory 
before  Solomon’s  time.  It  is  probable  that  this  prince 
who  traded  to  India,  firlt  brought  thence  elephants 
and  ivory  to  Judea.  + 

Solomon  had  a  throne  of  ivory,  it  is  Laid,  1  Kings 
x,  )8,  22. — And  cabinets  and  wardrobes  were  orna¬ 
mented  with  it.t  Thefe  were  called  houfes  of  ivory . 
Tor  no  palace  was  ever  built  of  ivory.  But  a  ward'* 
robe  ornamented  with  it  might  not  improperly  be 
called  by  this  name  :  In  the  fame  manner  as  we  call 
a  repofitory  for  things  of  great  value  by  the  name  of 
cabinet.  In  this  fenle  I  underfland  what  is  laid  of 
the  ivory  houfe  which  Ahab  made.§  For  the  Hebrew 
word  tranflated  houfe  is  ufed,  as  Dr.  Taylor  well  ob- 
ferves,  for  “a  place,  or  cafe,  wherein  any  thing  lieth, 
is  contained,  or  laid  up.”  Ezekiel  gives  the  name  of 
houfe  to  chefs  of  rich  apparel .[|  And  Dr.  Durell 
cuotes  places  from  Euripides  and  Homer  where  the 
fame  appropriation  is  made.*!!  Flefiod  does  the 
fame.**  As  to  dwelling  houfes ,  the  mo  If,  I  think,  we 
can  fuppofe  in  regard  to  them  is, that  they  might  have 
ornaments  of  ivory,  as  they  fometimes  have  of  gold 
f \lver ,  or  other  precious  materials. 

Bochart  has  very  ingenioufly  fhewnft  that  bench¬ 
es  of  the  Tyrian  fhips,  which,  according  to  the  com¬ 
mon 

*  M.:jus,  Hift.  an.  facr.  8vo.  Francof.  1686.  pag.  140. 

2  Chron.  ix.  2r.  £  Pfal.  xliv.  8.  1  King*,  xxii.  34. 

§  1  Kings,  xxii. '39.  ||  Ch  xxvii.24.  On  Pfa).  xliv. 

**  Op.  et-  D,  v.  9 6.  •f-f  Geogr.  facr,  p.  1. 1.  1,  c.  5. 


'  *  ft  *.»/ 


*52  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

mon  translation  of  Ezekiel  xxvii.  6.  are  faid  to  have 
been  made  of  ivory  brought  out  of  the  Ifles  of  Chit- 
tim,  were  mod  probably  made  of  Corfican  boxwood . 
in  that  ifland  the  box  is  a  very  common  plant,  and 
grows  to  a  good  fize,  and  may  be  reckoned  a  timber 
tree  ;  though  in  mod  countries  it  is  dwarfifh,  and 
generally  ufed  only  for  hedges,* 

KID,  A  young  goat, 

LAPWING.  A  bird  about  as  big  as  a  thrulh  1 
with  a  piercing  eye  ;  a  fmall  head,  elegantly  varie¬ 
gated  and  ornamented  with  a  beautiful  creft  hanging 
over  the  hinder  part  of  the  neck.  Its  beak  is  long, 
thin,  and  a  little  hooked.  Its  legs  grey  and  fhert. 
The  neck,  bread,  wings,  and  tail,  are  black  with 
white  itreaks.  The  bird  is  almoft  condantly  on  the 
wing. — The  Hebrew  name  of  the  bird  is  Dukipbal* 
By  the  Levitical  law  it  is  declared  unclean. + 

But  the  Jewifh  do&ors  take  the  bird,  fpoken  of  by 
Mofes,  for  a  mountain  cock  ;  which  has  a  double 
ered,  and  thence  its  name  according  to  Rabbi  Solo¬ 
mon.  Or  rather  it  may  be  fo  called  from  the  place 
where  it  reforts,  for  dik  in  Arabic  is  a  cock,  and  kapha 
rock.  Whence  Bochart  conjeflures  this  bird  wag 
named  becaufe  it  lives  in  mountainous  places.  And 
he  thinks  the  lxx  and  the  vulgate  have  rightly  trans¬ 
lated  it  Z7rw7r(x,  and  upufig.  :  Which  is  the  fenfe  of  the 
Arabian  interpreters. 


LEAD.  A  mineral  of  a  bluifh  white  colour  :  Is 

'  -2*  N-  v' 

lofted,  next  to  gold,  but  has  no  great  tenacity  and  is 
not  in  the  lead  fonorous. 

It 


'f-  Levit,  si.  19, 


Bcfwell’s  Corftca,  p.  47. 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


153 


It  feems  that  as  early  as  the  age  of  Job*  it  was  ufed 
in  engraving  ;  and  that  they  poured  it  into  the  in ci- 
fions  of  charafters  for  their  more  lading  continuance. 
The  learned  Gottingen  Profedbrf  fays  that  he  does 
■not  underdand  what  the  Hebrew  word  means  which 
we  there  tranflafe  lead.  We  are  certain  however 
that  it  is  claffed  with  metals  j  gold,  iron,  and  tinj  : 
Alfo  that  it  fignilies  a  fubdance  ponderous  and  fufi- 
ble.§  It  mud:  therefore  denote  fomc  heavy  metal  or 
mineral.  We  learn  further  from  Dr.  Shaw  that  very 
probably  there  arc  lead  mines  in  the  mountains  of 
Arabia  Petrea  :  For  he  found  among  thofe  rocks  plen¬ 
ty  of  felcnites ,  or  moon  done,  which  is  faid  to  be  a 
certain  fign  of  lead  underneath.  Add  to  all  this,  Pli¬ 
ny  informs  us jj  that  writing  on  lead  was  of  high  anti- 
.quity,  and  came  in  praflice,  next  after  writing  on  the 
bark  or  leaves  of  trees,  and  was  ufed  in  recording  pub- 
Jick  tranfaflions. 

Great  wickednefs,  or  the  judgments  of  God  on 
.account  of  it,  on  the  Jews  and  Chaldeans,  are  likened 
to  a  talent  of  lead  in  the  mouth  of  an  ephahM 

LEEK,  A  plant  with  a  bulbous  root.  It  is  much 
of  the  fame  nature  with  the  onion,  in  conjundlion 
with  which  it  is  mentioned  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of 
Numbers,  where  it  is  faid  that  the  Ilraelites  longed 
for  both.  It  is  dill  a  condant  difh  at  the  table  of 
the  Egyptians,  who  chop  them  fmall,  and  then  eat 
them  with  their  meat. 

I  he  kind  called  karrat  by  the  Arabians  (the  allium 
porrum  of  Linnaus)  Haffelquid  fays,  mud  certainly 

have 

*  CF.  xix.  24.  F  Michael's  Eraelec.  in  I.ovvth.  p.  21 1, 

X  Numb.  xxxi.  22.  Eztk,  xxii.  18,  19.  §  Exod.  xv,  jo. 

[|  Hitt.  Nat.  J.  13.  c.  u.  Zech.  v.  7,  8, 


?54  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

have  been  one  of  thofe  defired  by  the  children  of 
Ifrael  ;  as  it  has  been  cultivated  and  efteemed  from 
the  earlieft  times  to  the  prefent  in  Egypt.  The  in¬ 
habitants  are  very  fond  of  eating  it  raw,  as  fauce  for 
their  roafted  meat  :  And  the  poor  people  eat  it  raw 
with  their  bread,  efpecially  for  breakfaft. 

LEN1IL.  A  fort  of  pylfe,  whereof  mention  is 
made  in  feveral  places  of  feripture.  Being  boiled  they 
cafily  diffolve,  and  make  a  pottage  of  the  colour  of 
l hocolate.*  I  his  we  End  was  the  red  pottage  which 

xTau  exchanged  for  his  birth  right;  and  gave  him  the 
name  of  Edom.f 

The  lentiies  of  Egypt  were  very  much  efteemed  a.* 
xnong  the  ancients, J 

LENIISH.§  The  maftic  tree  :  Called  in  Latin 
fchinus ,  and  in  Greek  Jchenos.  It  rifes  with  a  woody 
ftalk  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  dividing  into  many 
branches  covered  with  a  dark  brown  bark.  The 
•leaves  are  placed  alternate  on  the  branches  ;  are  about 
an  inch  and  an  half  long,  and  half  an  inch  broad  at 
their  bafe,  leffening  gradually  to  a  point,  and  have  a 
few  faws  on  their  edges  :  They  are  of  a  lucid  green, 
and  when  bruifed  emit  a  turpentine  odour.  The 
flowers  are  produced  in  lode  bundles  at  the  end  of 
the  branches:  They  are  fmall,  white,  and  have  no 
fragrance. 

Maftic  gum  is  procured  from  the  tree  by  making  in- 
cifions  in  the  bark. 

There 

*  Shaw’s  1  rav.  p.  222,  *f  Oen.  xxv.  30. 

1  Deinofoph.  Athen.  J.  4,  c.  14,  15. 

§  Lin,  Gen,  Plant,  470,  Spec,  Plant,  388,  Tournef.  Inft, 

R.  Hv66i. 


6  f  the  BIBLE. 


158 


There  is  mention  made  in  Daniel*  of  the  lcntifk 
tree.  One  of  the  Elders  who  accufed  Sufanna,  laid 
that  he  faw  her  talking  with  a  young  man  under  a 
lent ifk  tree  [vz^ro  J  Daniel,  alluding  to  the  found 

of  /chinos,  anfwers  him,  the  angel  oj  the  Lord  jhall  cut 
thee  in  two  orputm.l  And  when  the  other  El¬ 

der  faid  it  was  [uzjo  n Tgivou']  under  a  holm  tree ,  Daniel 
replies  in  alluhon  to  this  alfo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
waiteth  to  cut  thee  in  two  [7 t^ktcu  <tz  [AtrovJ]  F rom  thefe 
allufions  fome  have  imagined  that  the  ftory  could  have 
been  written  in  no  other  language  than  Greek,  and 
confequently  that  Daniel  was  not  the  author  of  it. 
This  was  the  objection  railed  againll  it  by  Julius  A f- 
ricanus  and  Jeromf  ;  and  feveral  of  the  moderns  have 
renewed  it.  But  in  anfwer  to  this  it  is  faid  that  per¬ 
haps  the  Greek  tranflator  changed  the  Hebrew  name 
of  the  tree,  and  fubftitutedyc/wwr  in  the  room  of  it, 
which  furnifhed  him  with  this  alluhon  :  Or  that 
there  really  was  an  alluuon  between  the  Hebrew  name 
of  the  tree  and  the  punifhmcnt  threatened  by  Daniel.  + 
But  as  the  original  is  not  now  extant,  it  would  be  rafh 
to  lay  what  this  term  was  ;  as  it  would  be  likewile  to 
lay  pofitively  that  there  never  was  any  fuch  original, 
becaufe  it  is  not  now  in  being. 

Many  inflances  of  this  figure  of  fpeech  called  pare* 
noma/a  are  to  be  found  in  the  facred  writings  ;  In  the 
Hebrew  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  Ifaiah,  verfe  7,  it  is  he 

looked 


*  Chap.  xm.  v.  54.  This  chapter  is  placed  among  the  Apochry- 
phal  fcriptures  in  our  bibles. 

t  Hieron.  in  Dan.  Pref.  and  Comment,  in  cap.  xiii. 

J  Origen  thinks  that  the  Greek  interpreter,  while  under  a  ne'ce  fif¬ 
ty  for  changing-  the  names  of  the  trees,  in  order  to  prefer**  the  force 

of  the  original,  Ought  out  fuch  other  names  as  had  the  fame  allu- 
iions. 


i 


136  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

looked  for  (mifchpatj  judgment^  and  behold  (mi fchpachj 
tyranny  ;  jor  (tfedakaj  rightecufnefs ,  but  behold  (t faakaj 
the  cry  of  the  opprejfcd.  See  alfo  Jfai.  xxiv.  18.  He 
that  fliethjrom  fear  f  \ 'pahhad J  jhallf  all  into  the  pit  fpahhath .) 
The  like  allufion  is  obfervable  in  the  Hebrew  text  of 
Ecclef.  vii,  2.  but  Dan.  v.  25 — 28.  is  neared  to  the 
pafTage  before  us.  Many  other  examples  might  be 
collebled  out  of  both  tedaments.  See  Jer.  i.  11,  12. 
Ezek.vii.6.  Hof.  ix.  15.  Amos,  v.  5. vii i,  2.  John,  xv. 
2.  Rom.  i.  29 — 3 1 .  xii.  3.  2  Theff.  iii.  1 1.  Heb.  xi.  37. 
All  which  indances  have  an  affinity  of  found  with 
each  other,  like  thefe  of  Daniel,  but  cannot  eafily  be 
tranflated  into  another  language,  and  therefore  the 
beauty  of  them  is  frequently  lod. 

LEOPARD.  A  bead  of  prey.  Ufually  in  height 
and  magnitude  equal  to  a  large  butcher’s  dog.  Its 
fhape  is  exaflly  like  the  cat’s,  and  its  fkin  is  beautiful¬ 
ly  fpotted.  Fierce,  favage,  and  incapable  of  being 
tamed,  he  attacks  all  forts  of  animals ;  nor  is  man  him- 
felf  exempted  from  his  fury.  In  this  circumdance, 
he  differs  from  the  lion  and  the  tiger,  unlefs  they  are 
provoked  by  excefs  of  hunger.  His  eyes  are  lively 
and  continually  in  motion  ;  his  afpeff  is  cruel,  and 
expveffive  of  nothing  but  mifehief.  His  ears  are  round, 
fhort  and  always  draight  ;  his  neck  is  thick  ;  his  feet 
are  large,  the  fore  ones  have  five  toes,  the  hind  but 
four  ;  and  both  are  armed  with  drong  and  pointed 
claws.  He  clofes  them  like  the  fingers  of  the  hand, 
and  with  them  tears  his  prey  as  well  as  with  the 
teeth,  'though  he  is  exceedingly  carnivoros,  and  de¬ 
vours  great  quantities  of  food,  he  is  always,  neverthe- 
lefs,  thin.  Fie  is  very  prolific  ;  but  having  for  his 

enemy 


0  9  THK  BIBLE. 


*57 


enemy  the  panther,  and  the  tiger,  who  are  more  flrong 


and  more  alert,  than  himfelf,  great  numbers  of  his  fpe 
cies  are  deflroyed,  by  them.* 


It  feems  by  the  fcripture  that  this  animal  could  not 


be  rare  in  Paleftine.  We  find  a  town  there  named 
Bcth-nemrah ,  a  leopard’s  houfe  or  den.f  And  the 


fpoufe  in  the  Canticles  fpeaks  of  the  mountains  of  the 
leopards**. 


Ifaiab,  describing  the  happy  (late  of  the  Mefliah’s 


reign,  (ays  the  leopard Jhall  lie  down  with  the  kid §  :  Even 


animals  Shall  lole  their  fietcenels  and  cruelty,  and  be¬ 
come  gentle  and  tame. 

Jeremiah  mentions  the  artful  ambufeades  of  this 
animal. Jj  And  Habakkuk  alludes  to  its  alertnefs.^I 
Its  Hebrew  name,  nemor ,  denotes  Something  Speckled, 
or  marked  with  Spots  :  And  the  circumftance  is  hap¬ 
pily  alluded  to  by  Jeremiah.**  , 


LEVIATHAN.  A  large  animal  Several  times 
Spoken  of  in  Scripture.  The  writer  of  the  book  of 
Job,  has  given  a  very  complete  and  admirable  deferip- 


Uon  of  it  in  chapter  xli  ;  and  therein  Says  nothing 
but  what  may  very  naturally  be  explained  of  the  croc¬ 


odile.  The  learned  Bochart  favours  this  opinion. +  f 
Among  other  things  he  brings  a  proof  from  the  Tal¬ 
mud,  where  it  is  Said  that  “  th tchalbith  is  the  terror  of 
leviathan  the  chalbith ,  here  he  Suppofes  to  be  the 
ichneumon ,  the  known  annover  of  the  crocodile. 


A  corre6led 


*  Voyages  Ct  De.fmarchais,  tom.  i.  p  202. 

+  Numb,  xxii  3,  36.  J  Ch.  iv.  5.  §  Ch 

fj  Ch.  v.  6.  Ch.i.S.  *#Ch.  xii  .25. 


o 


158  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

/ 

A  corre&ed  verfion  of  Job’s  defcrlption,  with  ex¬ 
planations,  and  references  to  the  crocodile*,  may 
not  be  deemed  impertinent  to  this  article. 

g  Cart/l  thou  draw  out  leviathan  with  a  hook  ; 

Or  tic  his  tongue  with  a  cord  ? 

It  is  no  eafy  matter,  fays  Mr,  Scott,  to  fix  the  pre^ 
eife  meaning  of  the  feveral  terms  here  ufed.  They 
feem  however  in  general  to  denote  the  inftrumerits  to 
be  made  ufe  of,  partly  for  the  taking  him  alive  in  the 
water,  and  partly  for  governing  him  when  brought 
on  land.  (The  tongue  is  put  for  the  whole  infide  of 
the  mouth,  as  Mr.  Heath  remarks.) 

j  Car  ft  thou  put  a  ropt\  about  his  noflt , 

And  bore  his  jaw  through  with  a  thorn  ? 

The  muzzle  was  to  fecure  his  mifehievous  jaws 
when  landed  :  And  the  thorn,  Mr.  Heath  fays,  was  to 
make  the  muzzle  fa  ft,  by  pinning  it,  perhaps  to  his 
cheeks.  But  the  word  here  tranflated  thorn  fignifies 
alfo  a  hook  ;  and  refers,  I  am  inclined  to  thinK,  to  the 
manner  of  leading  cattle  about  by  a  hook  or  ring  in 
the  noftrils  :  See  2  Kings,  xix.  28.  Il'ai.  xxxviii,  29, 

j  Will  he  make  many  fupp  ications  to  thee  1 

Will  he  addrefs  thee  with  flattering  words  ? 

^  Will  he  make  a  covenant  with  thee  j 

Will  he  become  thy  flerv ant  forever  ? 

I  Will  he  addrefs  himfelf  to  thee,  with  a  fervile  rev¬ 
erence  and  fubmiffion  ?  Will  he  be  earned  and 

importunate 

*  Taken  from  Schuitens,  Heath,  Mudge,  and  Scott. 

■f  A  rope.  It  fignifies  a  reed,  or  as  Schuitens  fays,  a  rope  made  of 
reeds.  We  tranfiate  the  fame  word  a  rufo>  Ifai.  ix.  14.  ahuirufbyiv iii. 
j-  Pliny  informs  us  (lib.  19*  c.  3*1  that  the  Greeks  at  fint  made 
their  ropes  of  ruilies.  Probably  the  Egyptians  did  the  fame. 


OF  THE 


’59 


BIBLE. 

importunate  in  his  entreaties,  to  move  thy  companion 
towards  him,  for  fear  he  (hould  be  deprived  of  his 
life  and  liberty  P  <j  Will  he  acknowledge  the  condt- 
tions  of  thy  pleafure  ;  and  fubnrrt  his  (Length  ana 

might  to  thy  fuperiour  diretlion  ? - The  irony  here 

is  very  apparent.  The  (acred  poet  (hews  a  wonder¬ 
ful  addrefs  m  managing  this  deriding  figure  of  fpeecn, 
in  fuch  a  manner  as  not  to  lelfen  the  majeily  of  the 
great  being  into  whole  mouth  it  is  put. 

$  Wilt  thou  play  with  him  as  a  bird  : 

Yea ,  wilt  thou  bind  him  J or  thy  maidens  ? 

I  Will  the  companies  oj  merchants  drive  a  bargain  jor  him  : 

Shall  he  be  portioned  out  among  the  Canaamtes *  ? 

Job  is  here  afked  how  he  will  difpofe  of  his  cap¬ 
tive.  Whether  he  will  retain  him  in  his  family  for 
his  own  amufement,  or  the  divenion  of  his  maiden... 
Or  whether  he  will  fell  him,  as  a  rare  cunofity, 
er  to  the  Phenician  merchants  or  to  the  Caiavans.-- 
(By  the  companies  of  merchants,  Mr.  Heatr*  unde;  tlanus 
the  Caravans  who  traded  to  Egypt  by  land  :  By  the  Ca- 
naanites ,  I  luppofe,  are  meant  the  Phenici^ns  ot 
don  who  trafficked  ihither  by  fea.) 

j  Canjl  thou  fill  his  Jkin  with  barbed, irons  ; 

And  his  head  with  fjhf  pears  ? 

The  impenetrability  of  his  (kin  is  here  intimated, 
and  is  afterwards  delcribed  at  large.  1  he  attempt  to 
wound  him  with  miflile  weapons  is  ridiculed. —  ibis 
is  a  circumffance  which  will  agree  to  no  animal  10 
well  as  to  the  crocodile .  —  The  weapons  mentioned  are 
undoubtedly  fuch  as  fifherrnen  uled  for  Bribing  large 

hOi 

^  tpoVlXEP  sQl /Y)t  tax.  The  Phenican  people.  Xoc^ 

y&y&AQ0V.}  among  the  Canaanites.  Aquila. 


»6o  The  NATURAL  HISTO  R  Y 

fifli  at  a  diftance.  The  ffn /pears  are  fuppofed  by 
ocnultens  to  be  harpoons. 

Lay  thy  hand  upon  him,  but  remember  thou  (halt  have  no 
ether  conflict  ; 

[‘Plunge  thy  weapon  in  to  the  hilt  :  Rely  not  on 
a  lecond  ftroke.'  Heath.] 

/  B  hold  the  hope  is  in  vain  : 

Shall  not  one  be  tajl  down  even  at  the  fight  of  him  ! 

I  he  hope  of  mattering  him  is  abfurd.  So  formida- 
le  1S  hls  very  appearance  that  the  refolution  of  his 
eppofer  is  weakened  and  his  courage  daunted. 

None  is  fo  refolute  that  he  zoill  roufe  him* 

/  Who  then  is  able  to  contend  with  me  ! 

d  Who  hath  laid  me  under  obligation ,  that  I  fhould 
repay  him  ?—* 

Whatfoever  is  beneath  the  whole  heavens  is  mine . 

1  tie  fentiment  in  this  verfe  demonttrates  the  folly 
and  impiety  of  contending  with  God,  as  Job  had 
done.  He  is  all  fufficient  and  independent,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  indebted  to  any  for  their  fer¬ 
vid*  He  is  the  proprietor  of  all  being  :  He  there- 
fore  cannot  injure  any  one,  by  taking  away  his  pof- 
feffions  and  enjoyments  ;  for  he  takes  only  what  he 
gave.  Submittive  refignation,  therefore,  to  his  dif- 
polals,  is  the  duty  of  every  reafonable  creature. 

Job  is  in  this  claufe,  taught  to  tremble  at  his  danger 
m  having  provoked,  by  his  murmurs  and  litigation, 
the  ddpleafure  of  the  maker  of  this  terrible  animal. 
His  high  fpirit  is  now  brought  down.  His  convic¬ 
tion 

*  [Ready  to  roufe  him.']  This  gives  light  to  the  phrafe,  chap.  iii.  g. 
ready  torcuje  the  leviathan  :  The  Tame  phral-  is  tiled  there  as  here. 

[Heath. 


ivs- 


tion  is  completed.  And  his  repentance  and  fubmil- 
fion  fatisfy  the  Almighty. 

I  will  not  conceal  in  him  neither  any  thing  oj  his  power , 
Nor  the  advantage  of  his  JtruElure • 

We  now  enter  upon  the  defcription  of  the  levia¬ 
than,  which  takes  up  the  remainder  of  the  Ipeech, 
and  is  immediately  followed  by  Job’s  fubmiffion. 

It  is  not  (fays  Mr.  Scott)  beneath  the  dignity  of 
the  great  creator  to  difplay  his  own  wonderful  work  , 
and  to  call  upon  man  to  obferve  the  feveral  admirable 
particulars  in  its  formation  ;  that  man  may  be  imped¬ 
ed  with  a  deeper  (enle  of  the  power  of  his  maker. 

g  Who  can  Jirip  off  his  external  covering  ? 

g  Who  will  come  with  his  double  bridle  ? 

This  verfe  is  obfcure.  The  firft  fentencc  however 
feems  to  defcribe  the  terrible  helmet  which  covers 
the  head  and  face  of  the  crocodile.  d  ne  tranflation 
might  be,  g  Who  can  uncover  his  mailed Jace?  rf  in  Job  s 
days,  they  covered  their  war  horfes  in  complete  ai- 
mour,  the  queflion  will  refer  to  the  taking  off  the  ai* 
moutj  and  leviathan’s  fcales  be  reprefented  by  fuch  an 
image.  Then  the  fecond  fentence  may  denote  brid¬ 
ling  him,  after  the  armour  is  dripped  off,  for  fome 
other  fervice.  The  mod  eafy  verfion  of  this  latter 
fentence,  is  that  which  our  Englifh  bible  and  Schul- 
tens  give. 

^  The  doors  oj  his  mouth  who  can  open  ? 

The  rows  of  his  teeth  are  terrible. 

The  mouth  of  the  crocodile  is  laid  to  be  fo  large 
that  he  can  take  in  a  whole  flieep  ;  And  the  appara¬ 
tus 
O  2 


m 


vi  W 


*t>3  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


fcus  of  teeth,  to  the  number  of  three  fcore* 
Satisfies  this  formidable  description. 

Strong  fcales  cover  his  back  f 
Cihut  up  with  a  do  ft _feal. 

They  are  joined  fo  do/e  one  upon  another 
That  no  air  can  come  between  them  : 


perfe&Iy 


■they  Jhck  clofe  to  one  anotaer  j 

They  arecompad ,  and  cannot  be  feparated , 

I  he  indtdoiuble  texture,  and  perhaps  the  large nefs 

a  o  °f  the  fcales  wh[ch  coinpofe  the  crocodile’s  hide, 

,iC  r^dre‘enLed  by  the  powerful  images  and  figures  in 
theft  verfes.  * 


Then  he/neezeth  the  Light  fparhkth. 

Bis  eyes  are  like  the  eyelids  of  the  dawn. 

Such  is  the  violence  and  heat  of  the  air  that  is  re- 
peded  from  the  nofe  when  he  fneezes,  that  it  fparkles 
in  the  fun  beams.  This  circumftance  marks  the 
force  and  fury  of  the  crocodile. 

„  The  eyes  of  the  crocodile  are  fraall,  but  they  are 
laid  to  be  extremely  piercing  out  of  the  water.*  The 
poet’s  expreflion  can  only  be  applicable,  fays  Schul- 
tens,  when  this  animal  lifts  his  head  above  the  wave 
in  tne  night.  TI is  flaring  eyes,  which  are  the  iiril  ob- 
jefl  that  ftrike  the  beholder,  may  then  be  compared 
to  tne  dawning  light.  Bochart  fays  that  they  ate  fo 
remai kably  bright  that  when  the  Egyptians  would 
reptelent  the  morning  by  a  hieroglyphic  they  painted 
a  crocodile’s  eye. §  Firebrands 

*  B  >chait,  Hiercz.  p.  2.  p.  778, 

f  father,  ‘l  bU  body  is  hkeJlrorigJhUlds  That  if,  his  back  and 
ddes  are  covered  with  fcales  that  referable  the  throng  places  of  /hi elds. 


[Scoff, 

t  “  Hebetes  oculoa  hoc  animal  dicitur  habere  in  squa,  extra  acer- 
rimivifus,  Piin.  b.  z.  c.  215. 

§  -See  alfc  Hcrapello  in  Hierogl,  ].  j,  fe&.  6c, 


OF  T  II  2 


BI3L  E. 


Fire  brands  go  out  of  his  tnout/if 
And  /paths  of  jire  leap  out  of  it. 

Out  of  his  nojlrils  iffucth  fmoak, 

As  out  of  a  boiling  pot  ot  caldron. 

Ibis  breath  htndlelh  coats  , 

And  a  flame  iffuctk  out  of  his  mout.i . 

Here  the  creature  is  defcnbcd  in  puriuit  of  his  prey 
on  the  land.  His  mouth  is  then  open.  His  blood 
en flamed.  His  breath  is  thrown  out  with  prodigious 
vehemence  :  It  appears  like  fmoite,  and  is  heated  to 
that  degree  as  to  feem  a  flaming  fire.  Ihe  images 
which  the  facred  poet  hereufeth  are  indeed  exceflively 
flrong  and  hyperbolical,  efpecially  thatinver.  21.  His 
breath  kindieth  burning  coals— but  Ovid  did  not  fcruple 
to  paint  the  enraged  boar  in  figures  equally  bold. 

“  Yulmtn  ab  ore  ntenit,  frcndefquc  adflafibus  ardent."  [ Metapb .  8, 

**  Ltghming  iffutth  from  hit  mouth,  and  boughs  are  fet  on  fire  by 
liis  breath.” 

Silius  Italicus  has  a  correspondent  defeription, 

3,  5.  v.  208 * 

Strength  abidcth  upon  his  neck  / 

Arid  deflruElion  Jlalketh  before  him . 

In  our  old  English  verfion  we  read — and  labour  is 
rf idled  before  him  :  That  is,  ‘  nothing  is  hard  or  pain¬ 
ful  to  him.’  But  the  words  cannot  bear  that  inter¬ 
pretation:  And  that  which  is  given  in  our  prefent  ver- 
fion  does  not  feem  pertinent.  Mr.  Mudge  proves 
from  the  Arabic  origin  of  the  word  rON'T  that  the 
iranflation  we  have  given  above  is  accurate.  In  it 
we  are  Supported  by  the  feptuagint,  the  MS.  Oxford 
Marfhall  No,  1  ;  and  Mr,  Heath,  whom  Scott  fol¬ 
lows. 


Strength 


lS4  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

.  StrenStk  and  depuBion  are  here  reprefented  as  an- 
imated  beings.  The  former  is  feated  on  the  neck  of 
the  crocodile  to  figmfy  the  extraordinary  flexibility 
°  u  ,Part  '  Htter  leaps  and  dances  before  him 
when  he  purines  his  prey  ;  to  exprefs  the  terrible 
daughter  which  he  makes. 

Jhtnbs  (or  bones)  of  his  body  are  fet  clofe  together. 

He  is  compaB  in  himfelf ,  that  he  cannot  be  moved. 

Jiis  heart  is  as  fohd  as  a  font  .* 

Yea,  as  hard  as  the  coulter  *  of  the  plow. 

Thefe  flrong  fi  mi  lies  may  denote  not  only  a  mate¬ 
rial,  but  alio  a  moral  hardnefs,  his  favage  and  unre¬ 
lenting  nature,  ./Elian  calls  the  crocodile  5  a  vora¬ 
cious  devourer  of  flefh,  and  the  mod  pitilefs  of  ani¬ 
mals/ 

When  he  rifeth  up,  the  mighty  are  afraid  : 

For  very  terror  they  fall  to  the  ground  A 

Should  the /word  reach  him ,  it  cannot  fiand  before  him  j 

T he f pear,  the  dart,  and  the  javelin. £ 

He  counteth  iron  as  Jlraw , 

And  brafs  as  rotten  wood. 

The  arrow  cannot  make  him  fee. 

Sling  fonts  he  deemeth  trifling. 

He 

4  Literally  the  lower  part.  As  there  is  nothing  faid  of  mil/}  one, 
as  in  our  Engli/h  verfson,  Mr.  Heath  has  taken  the  Arabic  %ufica- 
lion  of  the  original. 

•f  1  heir  fear  is  fo  great  that  they  have  not  power  to  flee,  but  in- 
ftantly  drop  down;  This  agrees  with  ver.  9.  £  Shall  not  one  be  cajl 
down  even  at  the  fight  of  him  t  It  is  alfo  countenanced  by  the  fenfe  of 
the  Hebrew  word  in  the  Arabic.  [See  Hamafa,  p.  466.]  The  root 
hath  often  the  tenfe  of  terror.  So  alfo 2  Sam.  xxii.  5,  From 
this  word,  probably,  the  English  word  fiver  is  derived.  — The  tranila- 
tion  of  this  verfe  in  our  bible  is  perfectly  unintelligible. 

t  Bochartobferves  that  it  is  fo  explained  by  the  Arabian  lexico¬ 
graphers. 


or  THE 


3  I  B  L  E. 


165 

He  accountcth  the  /tones  of  the  engine  as  flub  ole. 

He  mockcth  at  the  brandi/hin g  of  the  mace.* 

His  nether  parts  are  like  Jharp  potjherds\  ; 

He  dajhtth  himfelf  on  the  mud  like  a  threfhing  cart.% 

Thefe  expreffions  deferibe,  in  a  lively  manner,  the 
flrength,  courage,  and  intrepidity  of  the  crocodile. 
Nothing  frightens  him.  If  any  one  attack  him,  neith¬ 
er  fwordsj  darts,  nor  javelins,  avail  againfl  him. 
Travellers  agree  that  the  crocodile's  (kin  is  proof  a- 
gainft  pointed  weapons  :  If  any  one  would  pierce 
him  it  mull  be  under  the  belly. 

He  caufeth  the  deep  to  become  hoary  : 

He  maketh  thejea  boil  like  a  pot  oj  oinimert* 

lie  maketh  a  path  to  fame  after  him . 

To  give  us  a  further  idea  of  the  force  cf  this  crea* 
lure  the  poet  deferibes  the  effeft  of  his  motion  in  the 
water.  By  the  jea  is  meant  the  Nile,  which  is  called 
the  jtaby  the  Hebrew  prophets^  and  the  Arabs, |j  I  ho 
deep  is  the  deep  places  in  that  river.  When  a  croco¬ 
dile  fifty  feet  in  lengthU  dives  to  the  bottom,  the  vio¬ 
lent  agitation  of  the  water,  may  be  juflly  compared  to 
liquor  boiling  in  a  caldron.  The  mud  railed  by  that 

agitation 

#  The  club,  or  bludgeon.  lxx-  <r <pvPCL  mallets,  Bochart  render 

it  Jufiis ,  from  the  Arabic  fignificatu  n. 

f  That  is,  the  extremities  of  his  coat  of  mail  end  in  fharp  points 
like  the  teeth  of  an  harrow. 

+  Mr.  Heath  thinks  this  rightly  rendered  by  Bochart,  tribula , 
which  was  a  little  cart,  or  dray,  ofed  for  threfhing  grain,  made  of 
rough  boards  ;  and,  in  former  tiii.es,  before  the  invention  of  flaih,  it 
fuppiied  their  puce. 

§  Ifai.  xvii.  2 «  Ezek.  xxxii.  Z, 

\\  Bochart  Hieroz,  z ■  p.  787,  Sc:.  Michaelis  Praeiec.  p.  183. 

tj[j  Captain  N 01  den  faw,  in  upper  Egypt,  twenty  crocodiles  extend¬ 
ed  on  banks  of  hind  in  the  £Ti.e.  They  were,  he  fays,  of  different 
fizes,  namely  from  fifteen  to  fifty  feet.  Tray.  p.  61.  8vo0 


i66  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


agitation  thickens  the  water,  and  gives  it  a  confiftency 
like  that  of  ointment.  This  funile  will  be  more  ex- 
a£t  if,  as  it  is  laid,  the  crocodile  emits  a  llrong  Rent 
when  he  plungeth  into  the  river.*  When  a  croco¬ 
dile,  of  the  fize  above  mentioned,  is  fwimming  upon 
or  near  the  furlace,  he  cuts  the  water,  like  a  flnp,  and 
makes  it  white  with  foam.  At  the  fame  time  his  tail 
-ike  a  rudder,  caufeth  the  waves  behind  him  to  froth 
and  iparkle  like  a  trail  of  light.  Thefe  images  are 
common  among  the  poets. 


1  u  tumultuous  boil  the  waves  : 

They  tofs,  they  foam,  a  wild'confufion  raife, 

Like  Waters  bubbling  o’er  the  Aery  blaze.”-*- 

He  accounteth  the  deep  as  his  habitation  ; 

Yet  upon  earth  there  is  not  his  like ,  that  is  made  with¬ 
out  fear. 


he  looketh  upon  every  thing  with  haugktintfs  : 

He  is  king  over  all  the  animals  of  fercejl  look, 

l  he  defcription  clofeth  with  three  chafers  which 

complete  our  idea  of  this  creature  as'  the  moft  terrible 
of  animals. 

1.  He  hath  not  his  match  among  any  of  the  crea¬ 
tures  upon  earth.  Upon  earth  there  is  not  his  like ,  either 
for  defence  or  attack. 

2.  He  is  a  Granger  to  fear.  This  may  feem  an  ob¬ 
jection  to  the  crocodile's  claim.  Pccocke+  and  Nor- 
Gen§  tell  us,  that  thofe  which  they  faw  on  the  mud 
iflands  in  the  Nile  went  flowly  into  the  water  at  the 
approach  of  their  fhips,  and  when  fhot  at,  plunged 

in 


*  Hieroz.  p.  2.  p.  187. 

f  Pope’s  I  rani!,  of  the  Ody IT.  b.  xii.  v.  282.  in  the 
a35r  237* 

|  Description  of  the  Eaft,  vol.  X,  p,  hi,  114,  202. 
-^Travels,  p.  84.  8vo. 


or ig.  t. 


OF  THE 


BIBLE. 


167 

Ida  But  had  any  of  thefe  annuals  been  in  a  Situation 
for  feizing  his  prey  he  would  have  fet  the  ctew  of 
both  veffels  and  all  their  fire  arm?  at  defiance. 

3.  He  del  pi  fet  h,  and  as  it  were  holds  in  fubje&ion 
the  fierceft  animals.  The  firft  of  thefe  hemiitirs  de- 
feribes  a  lefok  of  contempt,  as  in  chap.  xl.  11.  I  he 
other  declares  the  fuperiomy  of  his  power.  No  ani¬ 
mal,  not  even  the  tailed  or  the  mod  favage,  can  cope 
or  fight  with  the  crocodile.  Bochart*  produces  fev- 
eral  vouchers  to  prove  that  this  creature  will  attach 
and  bring  down  with  his  tail  not  only  men,  but  cam¬ 
els,  and  even  elephants  and  tigers,  when  they  ap¬ 
proach  his  river.  This  confirms  the  affertion  that  tie 
is  made  without  fear . 

By  the  leviathan,  Pfal.  civ.  25,  26.  is  probably  meant 
the  tunnie ,  which  is  the  larged  fifh  in  the  Mediterra¬ 
nean,  the  fea  there  fpoken  of  ;  and  is  of  the  whale 
kind — and  we  may  fuppofe  the  bigged  fifh  the  Pfalm- 
ift  was  acquainted  with. 

Ifaiahf  threatens  leviathan  the  rigid  ferpent ,  and  levia¬ 
than  the  winding  ferpent,  with  dedruftion.  The  croco¬ 
dile  is  undoubtedly  meant  :  And  the  king  of  Babylon 
and  the  king  of  Egypt  are  referred  to.  Ezekielj;  de- 
feribes  the  king  of  Egypt,  alfo,  by  the  name  of  the 
great  than,  that  is,  crocodile.  [See  Crocodile .] 

LIGN  ALOE.  The  wood  of  Aloe. 

The  Geneva  verfion  and  our’s  have  rendered  the 
Hebrew  word  ahalim  by  aloe  trees ,  Numb.  xxiv.  6. 
though  they  might  with  as  good  reafon  render  it  by 
tents ,  as  the  feptuagint,  the  vulgate,  and  the  Syriac 
and  Arabic  verfions  have  done  ;  fince  it  evidently  has 

this 

*  Hieroz.  p.  2,  p,  790.  xxvii,  l.  t  xxix.  3 4 


t63  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

this  fignification  in  fevcral  places  of  fcripture*  •  And 
fmce  Balaam,  in  the  preced.ng  verfe,  admires  the 
tents  and  the  tabernacles  of  Jacob  and  Ifrael.  Nay, 
once  there  glow  no  aloe  trees  in  Mefopotainia,  which 
was  Balaam’s  country  ;  nor  in  the  land  of  Moab, 
where  thefe  words  were  exprefled,  it  feemsmors  nat¬ 
ural  to  tranflate  the  word  by  that  of  tabernacle  or  tentA 
It  is  true  that  what  is  here  obferved,  that  God  plant¬ 
ed  thofe  ahalim,  feems  to  denote  that  they  were  trees, 
as  well  as  the  c'dars  which  are  mentioned  dirediy  af¬ 
ter  :  But  in  anfwer  to  this  it  may  be  faid,  that  the 
verb  to  plant  is  not  only  employed  to  fignify  to  put 
trees  in  the  earth  to  grow,  but  alfo  to  exprefs  the 
pitching  or  letting  up  of  tents,  as  may  be  feen  in  Dan. 
xi.  4.  and  elfewhere.  It  is  likewife  true,  as  D; of- 
corides  obfervesj,  that  the  wood  of  aloes  was  formerly 
wrought  from  Aiabia  into  other  countries ;  but  this 
is  no  argument  that  it  grew  there,  fince  we  find  that 
Jacob  fent  laudanum  to  Pharaoh,  Gen.  xliii.  11.  which 
was  colleded  in  the  land  of  Gilead,  whence  the  If. 
raelites  tranfported  it  to  Egypt,  Gen.  xxvii.  25.  and 
might  leave  fome  of  it  in  Syria,  as  they  palled  that 
way.  Not  to  mention  that  no  ancient  author  fpeaks 
of  the  wood  of  aloe^  ;  Aftius,  Diofcorides,  Paul  vEgin- 
eta,  Setapion,  and  fome  modern  Arabians,  having 
mentioned  it  firft,  who  give  that  wood  the  name  of 

agallock, 

*  Gen.  iv.  20.  xni.  3.  Jof.  vii.  21,  Judg,  v 1 1 .  S.  J o t> ,  xxii,  23. 

Dan  xi.  45.  &c. 

f  Tents  were  probably  firft  made  (it  mav  be  then)  of  the  thick 
leaved  boughs  of  :rees  :  So  that  the  word  may  be  rendered  arbour 
or  loner, 

%  Lib.  r.  e.  21. 

§  See  Garftus  aromat.  1.  x,  c.  16.  Bacch’n.  in  Matbiolum.  1.  i* 

Ju!.  Seal.  142.  Exercit.  fee.  6.  Urfinus  aiboret,  {be.  c.  3.  et  43. 
et  hort.  arorrac.  c.  2.  PJin.  Nat.  H.ft.  I.  27.  c.  4.  Bochart,  Ca* 
na*rij  1,  x.  c.  4  -  * 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


109 

pillock,  or*  xylaloi ?,  that  is,  the  wood  of  aloe*  becaufe  it 
lefemhles  the  aloe  in  colour,  or  perhaps,  becaufe  they 
could  find  no  wood  nearer  the  Arabic  agalugen ,  or  the 
Indian  or  Arabic  ahala .  However  it  be,  it  is  certain 
that  what  we  now  call  the  wood  of  aloes  comes  from 
the  Indies,  the  befl  fort  from  Sumatra  and  Malacca. 

The  feptuagint,  vulgate,  Geneva  verfion  and  our’s, 
render  ahalim  by  aloes  only,  in  Prov.  yii.  17.  Pfal. 
-dv,  9.  and  Cantic.  iv,  14.  But  this  is  manifeflly  a 
‘  miftake,  and  clearly  deflroys  the  fenfe  of  thefe  texts, 
hor,  as  Junius,  Tremeliius,  Pifcator,  and  Urfinus  ob. 
ierve,  aloes  have  a  bad  fmell,  and  cannot  enter  among 
the  perfumes  which  are  mentioned  in  thefe  places. 
But  in  abandoning  this  bonification  Junius,  Buxtorf, 
and  others,  ieem  not  to  have  fucceeded  better  in  ren¬ 
dering  it  JantaL  For  though  tire  heart  of  feveral  forts 
of  the  fantal  yields  an  agreeable  fragrance,  yet  this 
feems  known  (or  rather  ufed)  only  by  the  modern 

Arabians,  who  in  fpeaking  of  it  remark  that  it  comes 
from  the  Indies. 

* 

The  fame  difficulty  may  be  brought  againft  the  o~ 
pinion  of  thofe  who  are  for  rendering  ahalim  by  the 
wood  of  aloe ,  called  agalloch  or  xylaloe -  For  fuppofc 
that  Balaam  ffiould  have  meant  trees,  he  muft  have 
ipoicen  of  fuch  as  were  common  in  Syria  and  Arabia 
whereas  the  agalloch  comes  from  the  Ea(>  Indies,  and 
from  laprobane  :  And  Serapion  formally  denies,  up¬ 
on  the  teltimony  of  Abahanifa  an  Arabian,  that  any 
of  it  grows  in  Arabia.  *  7 

Nor  is  it  probable  that  David  or  Solomon  fpeak  of 
this  wood  in  the  places  cited  out  of  their  writings; 
for  though  it  may  be  prefumed  that  the  fleet  which 

Solomon  fent  to  Ophir  might  bring  fome  of  this 

P 

wood, 


1 70  The  NATURAL  H  I  S  T  O  R  Y 


wood,  among  other  rarities,  yet  "the  books  of  the 
Pfatms,  of  Proverbs,  and  of  Songs,  were  eompofed  be¬ 
fore  the  felting  out  of  that  fleet.  It  may  likewife  be 
quell ioned  whether  that  fleet  brought  any  of  that 
wood  to  Judea,  becaufe  it  is  fo  rare  and  precious, 
even  in  the  Indies,  that  one  pound  of  it  cofls  as  much 
as  three  hundred  weight  of  the  bed  frankincenfe  ;  as 
Garfias  declares.  Nor  yet  is  it  to  be  fuppofed,  though 
this  wood  had  been  common  in  Judea  in  David’s 

and  Solomon’s  time,  that  they  would  have  mixed  it 

*  ✓ 

with  myrrh  and  cinnamon  :  For  the  agalloih ,  or  In¬ 
dian  lifn  aloe ,  is  fo  odoriferous  and  fo  agreeable  that 
it  ftarids  in  no  need  of  any  corrrpofition  to  increafc 
or  moderate  its  perfume. 

Yet  there  is  another  kind  of  wood,  called  the  Sy° 
rian  aloe ,  or  of  Rhodes,  and  of  Candia,  called  other- 
wife  afpalatha ,  which  is  a  little  fhrub  covered  with 
prickles  ;  of  the  wood  of  which  perfumers  (having 
taken  off  the  bark)  make  ufe  to  give  a  confiftency  to 
their  perfumes,  which  otherwife  would  be  too  thin 
and  liquid.  Caffiodorus  obferves  that  this  is  of  a 
very  fweet  fmeil,  and  that  in  his  time  they  burned  it 
before  the  altars  in  dead  of  frankincenfe.  Levinus 
Lemnos  fays  that  it  refembles  very  much  the  agalloch , 
or  Indian  lign  aloe .  All  which  confidcrations  make  it 
probable  that  ahalim  fliould  have  been  rendered  the 
afpalatha.  [See  d/oe.J 

LI  CURE.  [In  Hebrew  lefchem.]  A  precious 
Rone.  Theophraftus  and  Pliny  deferibe  it  as  refem- 
bling  the  carbuncle,  of  a  brightnefs  fparkling  like 
fire. 

It  was  the  fir  ft  in  the  third  row  of  the  High  Prieft’s 
bread:  plate  ;  and  on  it  was  infer  ibed  the  name  Gad * 
Exod.  xxviii.  io.  LILY. 


,OjF  THE  B  I  B  jL  £• 


1 71 

LILY.  Hofea  xiv.  5.  the  tulifu* 

The  lily  of  the  fit  Id,  Math.  vi.  28.  probably  means 
the  martagon  or  wild  lily  o.f  the  mountains. +  They 
are  of  different  colours,  white,  orange,  purple,  &c. 
and  feme,  beautifully  variegated  with  Breaks  and 
fpo.t-s.  They  were  ip  plentiful  in  Canaan  that  it 
fee  ms  ovens  w7cre  heated  with  their  decayed  Balks  . 
Sree  verfp  30,  of  the  lame  chapter.  ^  This  paBage  is 
one  of  thofe  of  w'hicli  Sir  Bhomas  Browne  i^y^j  that 
o.the  varioufly  interfperfed  expreiflons  from  plants 
and  Bovvers  elegantly  advantage  .thp  flgniflcancy  of 
the  text.” 

The  lily  of  the  valley,  or  white  lily,  is  a  flower  culti¬ 
vated  in  our  gardens,  and  much  admired  ior  its  deli¬ 
cate  whitenefs  and  exquiiite  fragrance. 

Yet- Harmer  fuppofes  that  the  eglantine  is  fpoken 
of  Cantic.  ii.  2.  Whatever  flower  it  might  be,  it  is 
certain  that,  in  addition  to  the  charming  images  it 
gives  his  poetry,  it  furniffled  Solomon  with  a  pattern 
for  fame  graceful -ornaments  in  the  fabric  and  furni¬ 
ture  of  his  temple. t 

•  -A  '  •  *  -  4.  T  A  T 

V--  !  1  .  .  4  i  i  .  .  t  ‘  r 

LION.  A  large  bea  ft  o-f  prey  :  For  this  courage 
and  ftreogth  called  the  king  of  beafts. 

This  animal  is  produced  in  Africa,  and  the  hotteft 
parts  of  Ana.  It  is  found  in  the  great-eft  numbers  in 
the  feorched  and  cleiolate  regions  of  the  torrid  zone, 
in  the  defer  ts  of  J&as-ra  and  Biledofger id,  and  in  all 
t  h  e  rnieri  or  par  ts  o  f  the ;  v  a  ft  rrt  i  n  &at  of  A  f  r  >c  a  » 
In  thefe  delert  regions,  from  whence  mankind  are 

driven 

-.0 

*  row  JhoJhsnndk,  In  the  Syriac  Jhujhanto  *,  Arabic  faujan  j 

and  ip  the  Greek  crciXToy  foufon.  tInlipa}  To  urn.  inft.  R.  H.  373.* 
tab.  199,  C.00.  L’n.gen.  plan.  376. 

b  Ho*t.  Cliff.  12,0,  c,  B.  P.  177. 


t  1  KVn^s,  \W.  iq,  2?,,  »f>. 


i'/z  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

driven  by  the  rigorous  heat  of  the  climate,  this  ani¬ 
mal  reigns  foie  mailer.  Its  d'lfpofttion  feems  to  par¬ 
take  of  the  ardour  of  its  native  foil.  Inflamed  by  the 
influence  of  a  burning  fun,  its  rage  is  mod  tremend¬ 
ous,  and  its  courage  undaunted.  Happily,  indeed, 
the  fpecies  is  not  numerous,  and  is  faid  to  be  great- 
ly  dimtnifhed  ;  for,  if  we  may  credit  the  teftimony  of 
thofe  who  have  traveled  thole  vaft  defects,  the  num¬ 
ber  of  lions  is  not  nearly  fo  great  as  formerly.  Mr. 
Shaw  obferves,  that  the  Remans  carried  more  lions 
from  Lybia  in  one  year  for  their  public  fpeRaclc, 
than  could  be  found  in  all  fhar.  country  at  this  time. 
It  is  likewife  remarked,  that  in  Turkey,  Perfia,  and 

the  Indies,  lions  are  not  fo  frequently  met  with  as  in 
former  times. 

From  numberl efs  accounts  we  are  affured  that, 
powerful  and  terrible  as  this  animal  is,  its  anger  is 
noble,  its  courage  magnanimous,  and  its  temper  fuf- 
ceptible  of  grateful  impreflions.  It  has  been  often 
feen  to  defpife  weak  and  contemptible  enemies,  and 
even  to  pardon  their  infults  when  it  was  in  its  power 
to  punifh  them.  It  has  been  known  to  fpare  the  life 
of  an  animal  that  was  thrown  to  be  devoured  by  it  : 
To  1  ive  in  habits  of  perfeft  cordiality  with  it;  to 
fhare  its  fubfillence,  and  even  to  give  it  a  preference 
where  its  portion  of  food  was  fcanty. 

The  form  of  the  lion  is  flrikingly  bold  and  majef- 
tic.  His  large  and  fhaggy  mane,  which  he  can  erefl 
at  pleafure,  furrounding  his  awful  front  :  His  huge 
eyebrows ;  his  round  and  fiery  eye  balls,  which, 
upon  the  leaft  irritation,  feem  to  glow  with  peculiar 
luftre:  Together  with  the  formidable  appearance  of 
his  teeth-— exhibit  a  piflure  of  terrific  grandeur  which 
no  words  can  deferibe.  The 


OF  -T *i£  B  ^  L  ii.  *7  ft 

The  length  of  the  lareeft  lion  is  between  eight  and 

O'  0  , 

-nine  feet;  the  tail  about  fqur  ;  and  its  height  about 
four  Icct  and  an  half,  due  icmale  is  abom>  one 
fourth  part  iefs,  and  without  a  mano# 

As  the  lion  advances  in  years  its  mane  grows  long¬ 
er  and  thicker.  The  hair  on  the  reft  of  the  body  is 
fhort  and  frnooth,  of  a  tawny  colour,  but  whitifh  or; 
the  belly. 

Its  roaring  is  loud  and  dreadful.  When  heard  in 
the  night  it  refembles  diftant  thunder.  Its  cry  of 
anger  is  much  louder  and  fhorter. 

The  lion  feldom  attacks  any  animal  openly?  except 
when  impelled  by  extreme  hunger  ;  in  that  cafe  no 
danger  deters  him.  But,  as  molt  animals  endeavour 
to  avoid  him,  he  is  obliged  to  have  recourfe  to  arti¬ 
fice,  and  take  his  prey  by  furprife.  For  this  purpofe, 
he  crouches  on  his  belly  in  feme  thicket,  where  he 
waits  till  his  prey  approaches  ;  and  then,  with  one 
prodigious  fpring,  he  leaps  upon  it  at  the  di (lance 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  and  generally  feizes  it  at 
the  fir  ft  bound.  If  he  m'i-fs  his  object  he  gives  up  the 
purfuit  ;  and,  turning  back  towards  the  place  of  his 
ambufh,  he  ineafures  the  ground  ftep  by  ftep,  and 
again  lies  in  wait  for  another  opportunity.  The 
lurking  places  are  generally  chofen  by  him  near  a 
fpring,  or  by  the  fide  of  a  river,  where  he  has  fre¬ 
quently  an  opportunity  of  catching  inch  animals  as 
come  to  quench  their  thiift. 

The  1  ion  is  a  long  lived  animal,  although  naturalifts 
differ  greatly  to  the  precife  period  of  its  exi (fence. 
Of  fome  that  have  been  trained  in  the  Tower  of  Lon¬ 
don  one  lived  to  the  age  of  fixty  three  years,  and  a- 
nother  exceeded  feventy, 

p  2  Thp 


» 


wk 


1 74  T  ii  r  N  A  T  URAL  HISTORY 

'  The  attachment  of  alionefs  to  her  young  is  remark¬ 
ably  thong,  for  their  fupport  Are  is  more  ferocious 
»han  the  i:on  himfelf :  Makes  her  incurfions  with 
greater  boldncfs  ;  deftroys,  without  dittinftion,  cve- 
i>’  animal  that  falls  in  her  way,  and  carries  it  reeking 
to  her  cubs.  She  ufually  brings  forth  in  the  moft  re" 
tired  and  inaccefiible  places  :  And  when  airraid  that 
her  retreat  fhould  be  difcovered,  endeavors  to  hide 
tiei^  track  by  bruthing  the  ground  with  her  tail. 
When  much  diliurbed  oralarmed,  fire  will  fometimes 
tranfpoi  t  her  young  (which  are  ufually  three  or  four 
in  number)  from  one  place  to  another  in  her  mouth  . 
And,  if  obflrufled  in  her  courfe,  will  defend  them  to 


the  lad  extremity. 

The  lion  has  feven  names  in  icripture  according 
to  his  different  ages  :  Gur  or  gor ,  a  young  lion,  a  li¬ 
on  s  whelp  ;  chephir ,  a  young  lion  ;  <srz,  a  young  and 
v igoious  hon  j  fihachal,  one  in  full  ftrength  of  his  age  ; 
Jihachaz ,  a  vigourous  lion  kbi,  an  old  one  ;  iaijh,  one 
decrepid,  worn  out  with  old  age. 


*1  he  Rriptui  v,  smo,  has  tahen  notice  of  whatever 
is  terrible  in  him  ;  his  look,  his  walk,  his  roar,  his 
teeth,  his  paws,  and  his  tail. 

It  is  taken  properly  for  the  moft  courageous  and 
generous  of  all  wild  beads  ;  an  emblem  of  ftrength 
and  valour,  Job,  xxxviii,  39.  Prov.  xxviii,  1 .  To 
which  are  compared  (t.)  Jefus  Chrift,  the  great, 
mighty,  and  invincible  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
who  conquers  and  leads  captive  his  own  and  his  peo¬ 
ple’s  enemies,  Rev.  v.  5.  (2.)  The  tribe  of  Judah 

and  its  kings,  who  were  valiant,  courageous,  and  ter¬ 
rible,  to  their  enemies  ;  and  made  a  prey  of  them, 
Gen.  xiix.  9,  (3.)  The  devil,  who,  like  a  fierce 


o ?  the  BIBLE. 


*75 


i 

and  hungry  lion,  feeks  all  opportunities  and  advan¬ 
tages  to  enfnarc  and  deftroy  mankind,  1  Pet.  v.  8. 
(4.)  Tyrants  and  violent  oppretlors,  2.  Tim.  iv. 
17.  (.5.)  Enemies  and  evils  of  every  kind,  Pfal.  xci. 

13.  (6.)  Pretended  difficulties  and  hindrances  to  di¬ 

vert  one  from  duty,  Prov.  xxii.  13. 

LIZARD.  A  fcaly,  four  footed,  amphibious  ani¬ 
mal  ;  with  a  long,  tapering  tail,  There  are  many 
forts  of  them,  one  of  which  is  molt  celebiated  under 
the  name  of  crocodile  or  alligator. 

We  find  feveral  forts  of  lizards  in  the  fcripture: 
At  lead,  we  have  three  or  four  words  there  for  it  ; 
Idea,  chomet ,  tinjehemeth,  and  femamith.  The  three 
firR  are  to  be  met  with  in  Levit.  xi.  30.  the  fourth  is 
deferibed  in  Prov.  xxx.  28.  Bochart  maintains  the 
latter  to  be  the  lizard  ( jiellio )  againlt  thofe  who  tranf- 
late  i tjpider,  teach ,  or  ape . 

LOCUST.*  A  large  infett  of  the  grafihopper 
kind  ;  about  three  inches  long.  It  has  two  horns  or 
feelers  about  an  inch  in  length  :  Thefe,  and  the  head, 
are  of  a  brownifh  colour.  The  ffiield  on  its  back  is 
green ifh  ;  the  body  brown,  fpotted  with  black  ;  and 
the  underfide  purple.  It  is  furnifhed  with  four 
wings ;  The  upper  pair  are  brown,  with  fmall  dufky 
fpots ;  the  under  are  more  tranfparent,  and  of  a  light 
brown  tin&ured  with  green.  + 

The  infefl  increafes  prodigioufly,  and  thence  has 
its  Hebrew  name.J 

There 

*  Gr>],us  criilatus.  Lin.  Syft.  Nat.  p.  699.  no.  37. 

f  A  very  curious  and  circumftantiai  account  of  this  infedt  is  to  U 
found  in  Djhon’s  travels  through  Spain,  p.  a56.  &C.  4to  edit. 

t  F^m  nm  to  multiply. 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

There  are  various  fpecics  of  them,  indeed,  which 
confequently  have  different  names :  And  fome  are 
more  deftru&ive  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth  than  others. 

Mofes  declares  all  creatures  that  fly,  and  walk  up¬ 
on  four  feet,  to  be  impure  ;  but  he  excepts  thofe 
which,  having  their  hind  feet  longer  than  the  others, 
fkip  and  do  not  crawl  upon  the  earth.  Afterwards 
he  defcribes  four  forts  of  locufls*,  called  in  Hebrew 
arbi,  falah,  chargol ,  and  hackagab ,  which  St.  Jerom  tranf- 
lates  bruchus ,  attacus ,  ophiomacus ,  and  Iccyjla,  Job, 
Ludolphus,  in  his  moif  excellent  and  learned  treatife 
do.  locujlis,  fays  that  char  got  hath  a  bunch  on  its  head, 
.and  a  tail,  arbek  hath  neither,  Jo  lam  only  the  bunch, 
and  chagob  (hachabad)  a  tail  and  not  a  bunch.  Wheth¬ 
er  this  be  an  accurate  and  true  difcrimlnat  ion,  or  not, 
does  not  concern  us  to  know. 

They  are  very  common  in  Afla,  Africa,  and  Eu¬ 
rope.  They  fometimes  come  in  fuch  fwarms  that 
the  whole  air  is  darkened  by  their  flight  for  feveral 
miles.  They  devour  every  kind  of  vegetable  and  all 
the  fruits  of  the  earth  in  fuch  a  manner  as  to  occaflon 
a  famine. 

Go  d  fmote  Egypt  with  a  plague  of  locufls  which 
ravaged  every  thing  that  was  left  remaining  in  the 
fields  belonging  to  that  country. i 

The  dire  armies  of  thefe  invading  deflroyers  are 
magnificently  described  in  fcripture.  \v/re  feleft  the 
fublims  defcription  of  the  prophet  JoelJ,  and  accom¬ 
pany  it  with  a  paraphrafe. 

A  tire  confumeth  bejore  them,  and  a  flame  devour dk  be¬ 
hind  'them.  The  land  is  as  the  garden  of  Eden  bejore  them f 

but 

*  Levit.  x’n  21 . 

•y  Exod.  x.  4,  Pfal.  lxxviii.  46*  c,v*  54* 

J  Chap.  ii.  The  commentary  is  from  Pocokc  and  Chandler. 


or  the  BIBLE. 


* 77 

hut  behind  a  defolate  zuildernefs ,  Yea ,  there  Jhall  be  no  cf- 

taping  jor  them . 

All  before  them  they  fhall  feize  upon  and  devour; 
as  though  a  fire  had  deftroyed  it  :  And  the  places 
they*  leave  behind  them  fhad  look  as  though  they 
had  been  confumed  by  a  fcorching  flame.  Though 
the  land  before  their  coming  fiiall  appear  beautiful 
for  its  verdure  and  fruitfulnefs  as  the  garden  of  Eden  ; 
yet,  after  the  ravages  they  have  made  on  it,  it  fh all 
look  like  a  defolate  and  uncultivated  wilderncfs* 
Neither  leaves,  nor  (hoots,  nor  fruits,  nor  grain  (hall 
efcape  them. 

Their  appearance  is  like  the  appearance  of  horfes  ;  And 
like  horfemen  jo  Jail  they  run. 

Their  appearance,  in  fhape  and  fiercenefs,  is  like 
that  of  horfes.  And  they  fhall  overrun  the  country 
with  the  fpeed  of  horfemen  when  fuddenly -invading 
an  enemy’s  land.  , 

Bochart  obferves  from  feveral  authors  that  the  lo- 
cufi:  hath  an  head  very  much  refembling  the  hoife. 
But  I  do  not  apprehend  the  prophet  here  deferibing 
the  Jiape  of  the  infefl,  but  rather  his  properties ,  his 
fiercenefs  and  fwift  motion.  And  on  this  account 
it  is  jufily  likened  to  an  horfe  for  fiercenefs,  and  to 
horfemen  for  fpeed.  Thus  the  locuids  in  Rev.  ix.  7. 
are  compared  to  horfes  prepared  to  bailie  ;  furious  and 
impatient  for  the  war. 

They  fiall  leap  like  the  found  of  chariots  on  the  tops  of 
mountains  j  like  the  noije  of  a  fame  of  fire  confuming  Jub- 
blt ;  like  a  mighty  people  ready  prepared  for  ivar. 

The  noife  of  their  coming  (hall  be  heard  at  a  dif- 
tance,  like  the  found  of  chariots  paffing  over  the 
mountains.  When  they  fall  on  the  ground  and  leap 

from 


ijt  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

from  place  to  place  and  devour  the  fruits,  the  found 
of  them  will  refemble  the  crackling  of  the  Hubble 
wnen  conlurmng  by  the  flames  ;  or  the  din  and  clam¬ 
our  of  an  army  ready  prepared  to  engage  in  battle. 

How  this  defeription  agrees  to  the  locufts  is  fhewn 
abundantly  by  Rochart  ;  who  tells  us,  from  feveral 
authors,  that  they  fly  .with  a  great  noife  ;  as  St.  John 
has  alfo  deferibed  them,  Rev.  ix.  p.  the  found  of  their 
wings  tons  (is  the  found  of  chfi/ripts,  of  many  horfts  running 
to, battle;  that  they  may  he  neard  at  fix  miles  distance  ; 
pnd  tha.t  when  they  are  eating  the  fruits  of  the  earth 
tne  found  is  hke  that  of  a  flame  driven  by  the  wind, 
1  nt  people  fhall  be  much  pained  at  their  prefence ,  Every 
countenance  fhall  gather  blacknefs, 

a  heir  approach  fhall  be  heard  with  condernation, 
their  ravages  ooferved  with  did  refs  :  Every  face 
fha.ll  wear  the  marks  of  the  mod  dreadful  fear,* 

Tney  Jhall  run  like  mighty  men  ;  they  fhall  fcale  the  walls 
like  warlike  men  :  They  fhall  go  every  one  in  his  ways,  and 
they  fhall  not  dif order  their  marches.  Neither  fhall  any  one 
prefs  his  comardes  ;  they  fhall  march  every  one  in  his  lath  : 
And  when  they  Jhali  hill  upon  a  floor d,  not  one  of  them  JhaLi 
be  wounded.  They,  fhall  range  through  the  city ,  they  fall 
run  upon  the  wall,  they  fhall  climb  up  the  hoifes ,  and  enter 
in  at  the  windows,  like  a  thief \ 

They  fhall  march  in  a  fwift  and  orderly  manner. 
No  place  fhall  be  inaccedible  ,to  -them.  Nor  tmy 
fproe  able  to  with  Hand  them, 

-  i  v  Of 

*  Virgi!  gives  the  epk’net  of  flacf  to  fear  : 

pallga,ntem roigrafqc^idiae  lucu/n,”  Georg,  iv. 

Tjie  fame  expredion  with  this, of  Joe)  is  ufe-d  by  the  prophet  Na¬ 
hum,  ii.  to.  to  denote  the  extremity  of  fotrow  and  pa'n:  <Tbe  knees 
fmite  together,  and  moth  gain  is  in  ail  jobs,  end  ibe  faces  (f  them  ail 
got  b  cr  b  la  chiefs. 


of  the  BIBLE.  179 

Of  the  regular  and  orderly  motion  of  thefc  infefts, 
St.  Jerortf,  in  his  notes  upon  this  place,  gives  an  ac¬ 
count  from  his  own  experience.  Bo  chart  quotes 
confirmation  of  the  fame  circumftance  from  Cyril, 
Theodoret,  Sigebert,  and  others. 

By  reafon  of  this  nimblenefs,  and  the  outward  coat 
of  their  fkin  being  fo  hard  and  fmooth,  though  they 
light  on  the  edge  of  a  fword,  they  are  not  wounded. 

The  earth  trembles  before  them.  The  heavens  Jhake,  7 he 
fun  and  moon  are  darkened :  And  the  Jlars  zvithdrazv  their 
bright  tie  fs. 

All  nature  fhall  become  fenfible  of  the  gre2tnefs  of 
the  afili£lion  they  occafion.  For  fo  large  fhall  their 
numbers  be  that  they  fhall  intercept  the  light  of  the 
heavenly  bodies.* 

And  Jehovah  fends  his  Voice  before  his  army  :  for  his 
camp  is  exceeding  large or  he  is  mighty  zoho  executes  his 
command  :  For  the  day  oj  Jehovah  is  great  and  terrible ,  and 
j  zoho  Jhall  abide  it  ! 

Like  a  leader,  or  general,  the  Lord  fhall  command 
this  his  army  ;  and  make  the  meanefl:  parts  of  his 
creation  the  infiruments  of  his  vengeance. — This 
mighty  and  innumerable  fwarm  fhall  devour  the  pro¬ 
duce  of  your  country  :  They  will  lay  defolate  all  its 
vineyards  ;  ftrip  the  vine  of  its  leaves,  and  its  branch¬ 
es  of  their  bark.f  So  that  from  the  want  of  corn  and 
wine  you  fhall  not  be  able  to  furnifh  the  expe&ed 
offerings  for  the  holy  altar. J  Your  fruitful  fields 
fhall  be  wafted  and  laid  defolate  ;  your  harvefls  fhall 
fail  ;  and  your  very  ground  mourn,  as  it  were,  for  the 

total 

*  Bochart  quotes  the  ancients,  and  we  have  fevenl  tefUmonirs 
from  modem  hiftory,  to  prove  that  this  is  fometimes  literally  the 
cafe. 

t  Ch,  i.  v.  7. 


X  ibid.  v.  9. 


t  So  1  h  e  N  A  T  URAL  HISTORY 

total  deflation  of  its  fruits.*  So  that  upon  this 
luiUie  your  barns  and  your  granaries  fhall  become 
empty  and  defolate.f  Herds  of  cattle  fhall  complain, 
ind  flocks  of  fheep  perifh,  for  want  of  padure.J 
Dreadful  fhall  this  day  be  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land.  And  ^  who  is  there,  who  can  bear  up  and  fup- 
port  himfelf  under  fo  general  a  calamity  ?§ 

Dr.  bhawjj,  by  whole  excellent  zoological  remarks 

in  hiS  traveis»  many  paffages  in  the  facred  writings 
have  been  elucidated,  has  fhewn,  from  the  teftimony 
of  nis  own  obfervation,  that  thefe  poetical  expreffions 
are  Icarcely  Hyperbolical  with  refpefl  to  this  formida¬ 
ble  infeft.  And  Pliny,  the  Roman  naturalift,  gives  a 
delcription  of  its  migratory  fwarms  almoft  equally  fub- 
lime  with  that  of  the  eaftern  poet.  ‘This  plague, 
fays  he,  is  confidered  as  a  manifeflation  of  the  wrath 
of  the  Gods,  For  they  appear  of  an  unufual  fize  ; 
and  fly  with  fuch  a  noife  from  the  motion  of  their 
wings  that  they  might  be  taken  for  birds.  They  dark¬ 
en  the  fun.  And  the  nations  view  them  in  anxious 
fufpenfe  ;  each  apprehenfive  left  their  own  lands 
Thould  be  overfpread  by  them.  For  their  ftrength 
is  unfailing  :  And,  as  if  it  were  a  fmall  thing  to  have 
crofted  oceans,  they  pervade  immenfe  t rafts  of  land, 
and  cover  the  barvefts  with  a  dreadful  cloud  :  Their 
very  touch  cleftroying  many  of^the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  but  their  bite  utterly  confuming  all  its  pro- 
duds,  and  even  the  doors  of  houfes.5*[ 

It 

*  Verfes  io,  ir.  f  v.  17.  %  iS.  §  Ch.  II.  it. 

||  Travels  into  the  Eaft,  p,  256,  & c.  Fob  Edit. 

Nat.  Hi  ft.  1.  xb  c.  29. 

As  extraordinary  as  the  latter  circumftaoce  may  appear,  Mr.  Ad- 
atifon  mentions  a  very  ftmilar  one  to  vfhVfch  he  was  witrefs:  “  a 
("warm  of  locufts  at  Senega!  devoured  even  the  dry  reeds  with  which 
the  huts  were  thatched/*  Voyages  a  Senegal, 


0  3P  THE  BIBLE. 


i8t 

It  is  well  known  that  locufis  were  eaten  in  the  cafh 
And  commentators  have  exhaufted  their  learning  and 
ingenuity  to  prove  that  St.  John  eat  thefe  infects  in 
the  wildernefs.*  But  the  word  in  the  original,  figni- 
fies  alfo  buds  or  pods  of  trees,  as  fever al  learned  man 
have  proved. +  And  everyone  mull  fuppofc  that  the 
baptifi;  lived  on  a  food  which  was  very  eafy  to  be 
made  ready,  and  probably  that  which  nature  itfelf 
furnifhed  accommodate  to  his  palate.  Locufts  are 
never  eaten  without  fome  kind  of  previous  drefling  ; 
iuch  as  roa(ling,or  drying  them  in  the  fun,  or  fait- 
ing  and  fmoaking  them  :  Which  does  not  feem  an 
occupation  worthy  the  baptifi;,  whom  the  feripture 
reprefents  as  fufficiently  taken  up  in  devout  medita¬ 
tion  and  fpiritual  exercifes.  [See  Carob  Tree .J 

m 

LOUSE.  It  would  be  needlefs  to  deferibe  this  lit¬ 
tle  contemptible  infefl. 

Various  as  are  the  antipathies  of  mankind  ;  all  feem 
to  unite  in  their  diflike  to  this  animal,  and  to  regard 
it  as  their  natural  and  mofi:  naufeous  enemy.  When¬ 
ever  wretchednefs,  difeafe,  and  hunger,  feize  upon 
man,  the  loufe  feldom  fails  to  add  itfelf  to  the  tribe, 
and  to  increafe  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  his 
calamities. 

Lice  were  fent  into  Egypt  to  humble  the  pride  of 
Pharaoh.  J  For  when  Mofes  found  the  king  inflexi¬ 
ble,  notwithdanding  three  miracles  had  already  been 

wrought 

*  Matth.  Hi.  4.  Mark,  i.  3. 

+  Achanafius,  Ifiodorus  Dam.  Epift.  1.  1.  Ep.  5,  and  132.  Paulinm 
carin.  de  Joan.  PanteJioa  diac.  de  lum.  fane.  L,  Capcll,  com¬ 
ment.  Sc c.  Sc c. 

I  Exodus,  vii. 


Q 


\ 


■s 

*82  Th £  NATURAL  HISTORY 

wrought  to  convince  and  humble  him,  he  touched  the 
dull  with  his  rod,  which  was  immediately  turned  into 
hcc  ;  or,  as  fome  think,  into  gnats,  which  fmall  infettis 
more  common,  and  the  fting  more  tormenting  in  E- 
gypt  than  any  where  elfe.  But  oiir  verfion  feems 
more  agreeable  to  the  original,  and  to  the  generality  of 
antient  and  modern  tranflations  and  expofitions.* 
Thefe  infe&ed  men  arid  beafts  in  fuch  quantities  that 
one  would  have  imagined  that  all  the  dull  of  Egypt 
had  been  converted  into  lice.  Pharaoh  fent  for  his 
magicians,  and  bid  them  try  their  (kill,  in  vain  ;  for 
either  their  power  proved  too  fhort,  or  was  curtailed 
by  a  fuperiour  hand  :  So  that  they  were  forced  to  ac¬ 
knowledge  that  the  finger  of  God  did  plainly  difpiay 
itfelf  in  this  miracle. 

MALLOWS.  Job,  xxx.  4.  Schultens  interprets 
this  of  the  halimus ,  which  Diofcorides  deferibes  as  a, 
kind  of  bramble,  without  thorns,  and  fays  that  its 
leaves  are  boiled  and  eaten. +  Galen  fays  that  the 
tops,  when  young,  were  ufed  for  food.  And  Serapion 
writes  that  they  werecryed  about  the  ftreets  of  Bag¬ 
dad. 

Yet  I  know  of  no  reafon  why  we  may  not  under- 
Band  it  of  the  mallows,  as  it  is  in  our  tranflation  ; 
for  that  herb,  it  appears,  was  ufed  for  fbod.J 

It 

*  Chaldee,  Targum,  Jofephus,  Antiq.  1.  a.  c.  14.  Rabbin  Mon¬ 
tan,  Munfler,  Vatabi.  Jun.  Bochart,  et  al. 

4  “  Halimus,  quod  populus  Syriac  tnalucb  vocant,  eft  arbuflum,  ex 
quo  rityU  fepes,  rhamno  ftaiile,  rift  quod  caret  fpmie.  Folium  ejo* 
ccquitur  et  comeditur.’*- - E]/  T Y)  ^OCgCt^X  '  TgOCyoVTef 

a\iy<cct  uai  xxxcc  rciavrac  (TvWeyopTSf :  Says  Antiphaner, 
ipeaking  of  the  Pythagoreans. 

J  See  Hor.  1.  i.  od .  31.  v.  16.  and  epoch,  ii,  and  Martial,  lib.  2. 
epig.  88, 


Of  the  BIBLE* 

It  is  fufficient,  that  fame  mean  herb  is  fpoken  of, 
which  the  miferably  poor  might  ufe  to  fatisfy  hunger. 

MANDRAKE.*  Mofes  informs^  us  that  Reuben 
the  fan  of  Leah,  being  in  the  field,  happened  to  find 
mandrakes ,  which  he  brought  home  to  his  mother. 
Rachel  had  a  mind  to  them,  and  obtained  them  from 
Leah  on  this  condition,  that  fhe  fhould  confent  that 
Jacob  fhould  be  her  bed  fellow  the  night  following. 

The  term  dodaim ,  here  made  ufe  of  by  Mofes,  is  one 
of  thofe  words  of  which  the  modern  Jews  do  not  unr 
derftand  the  true  fignification*  Some  tranflate  it  by 
violetsj,  others  lilies^  or  jeffamin,  truffle  or  mufh- 
room.Jj  Bochart  fuppofes  it  to  be  the  citron  ;  as 
doesCalmetf  and  others.**  Celfius  is  perfuaded  that 
it  is  the  fruit  of  the  fate  tree.d’f  And  Ludolf*  J  main¬ 
tains  that  it  (lands  for  a  certain  fruit  which  the  Syri¬ 
ans  call  mauz,  of  which  the  figure  andtaflehas  a  great 
refemblance  to  the  Indian  fig.§^ 

It  appears  from  feripture-  that  the  dodaim  are  a  fort 
of  fruit,  known  in  Mefopotamia  and  Judea,  which 
are  ripe  about  wheat  harvell,  have  an  agieeable  feent, 
may  be  preferved,  and  are  placed  with  pomgranates.(jj| 

'  Thofe 

*  Mandragora.  Lin.  fp.  plant.  221.  Tournef.  infl.  R.  H.  76. 
tab.  12. 

f  Gen.  xxx.  14.  J  Onkel.  in  loc.  ^  Oleaft* 
jj  Junius.  Comment,  in  Genef.  xxx.  14. 

*  *  Hiller,  hierophyt.  p.  1.  p.  2.68.  Sir.  T.  Browne,  vulg.  er» 

■ff  Lotus  Cyreniaca  :  Called  in  Africa  and  Afia  Sidra ,  and  JSlolac . 

A  fmall  tree  like  the  Acacia,  with  leaves  and  flowers  refcmblirvg 
thofe  of  the  Jujub ,  bearing  little  round  aromatic  apples  in  flavour  and 
tafte  fo  delicious  that  they  aje  fit  only  for  the  tables  of  Princes.  It 
grows  in  Judea  and  Syria  ;  and  bears  fruit  both  in  fpring  and  autumn, 

[See  Taylor’s  Heb.  Cone,  root  364, 
tJ  Hift.  JEi  thiop.  1.  1.  c.  72.  p.  104.  §§  Ficuslndica* 

il|  Gen.  xxx.  14.  and  C antic,  vii.  13, 


>84  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

Thofe  who  would  fupport  the  tranflation  of  this  word 
by  mandrakes  rely  upon  this  reafon  :  Rachel,  having  a 
gteat  defile  to  have  children,  it  may  be  prefumed  fhe 
coveted  Leah’s  mandrakes  with  that  view.  For  it 
was  a  general  opinion  among  the  ancients  that  there 
was  a  certain  quality  in  the  juice  of  mandrakes  to 
excite  amorous  inclinations,  and  therefore  they  are 
called  apples  of  love*  :  And  the  Hebrew  word  doi, 
from  which  comes  dodaim,  frequently  is  fet  to  fignify 
loveA  Thus  whether  we  confider  this  fruit  as  plea- 
ianttothe  eye,  fmell,  or  tafte,  or  as  a  reiterative  of 
nature  and  helpful  to  conception,  any  of  thefe  rea- 
fons  is  fufficicnt  why  Rachel  fnould  take  fuch  a  lik- 
.ng  to  them.  We  are,  however,  led  to  fuppofe  it  the 
laft  mentioned  property  ;  And  fufpeft  that  the  fame 
ufe  might  reconcile  Shulamith  to  their  odour.  Can- 
tic.  vii.  ig,  Maundrel  obferves  that  the  chief  Prieft 
of  the  Samaritans  informed  him  that  they  were  ftill 
noted  for  this  prolific  virtue.! 

Travellers  have  told  us  that  in  Pekin  in  China 
there  is  a  kind  of  mandrake  fo  valuable,  and  which 
when  mixed  with  any  liquor  makes  fo  rich  a  cordial, 
that  a  pound  of  the  root  of  it  (for  in  the  root  lies  all 
the  virtue)  is  worth  twice  its  weight  in  filver. 

MANNA.  The  food  of  the  children  of  Ifrael 
which  God  gave  them  in  the  defarts  of  Arabia,  dur¬ 
ing  their  continuance  there  for  forty  years,  from  the 
eighth  encampment  in  the  wildernefs  of  Sin. 

The 

.  t  r 

*  And  they  called  Venus,  thegoddefs  of  love*  Mandragoiitis, 

■f*  Bauhin.  hift.  plant,  tom,  3.  p.  614.  Matthiolus  in  Diofcorc 
Brodeus  in  Theophraft*  and  a  letter  of  the  Emperor  Julian  to  Ca.= 
lixenes. 

%  Trav.  p.  61, 


:  >*  • 
- ;  -“w. 


The  manna  mentioned  by  Moles  was  a  little  grain, 
V/hite  like  hoar  fro  ft,  round,  and  of  the  bignefs  of 
coriander  feed.*  It  fell  every  morning  upon  the. 
dew  ;  and  when  the  dew  was  exhaled  by  the  heat  of 
the  fun  the  manna  appeared  alone,  lying  upon  the 
rocks  or  the  fand.h  It  fell  every  day,  except  on  the 
fabbath  ;  and  this  only  ground  the  camp  of  the  Ifra 
elites. J  It  fell  in  fo  great  quantities  during  the  whole 
forty  years  of  their  journey  that  it  was  fufficient  to 
feed  the  whole  multitude,  of  above  a  million  of  fouls. 
Every  one  of  whom  gathered  the  quantity  of  an  o- 
mer^  for  his  (hare  every  day.  It  maintained  the 
whole  multitude  ;  yet  none  of  them  found  the  eating 
it,  attended  with  any  inconvenience.  Every  fixth 
day  there  fell  a  double  quantity,  and  though  it  put ri ti¬ 
ed  and  bred  maggots  when  it  was  kept  any  other  day, 
yet  on  the  Jabbath  it  fufferedno  fuch  alteration.  And 
the  fame  manna  which  was  melted  by  heat  of  the  fun, 
when  it  was  left  in  the  held,  was  of  fo  hard  a  confid¬ 
ence  when  it  was  brought  into  the  houfe  that  it  was 
ufed  to  be  beaten  in  mortars,  and  would  even  endure 
the  fire  ;  was  made  into  cakes  and  baked  in  pans. 

To  commemorate  their  living  upon  otners,  or  tenth 
deals,  of  manna,  one  omer  of  it  was  put  into  a  golden 
vafe,  and  preferved  for  many  generations  by  the  fide 
of  the  ark.i| 

Our  tranflators,  and  others,  make  Mofes  fall  into  a 
plain  contraction,  in  relating  this  dory  of  the  man- 
na  ;  which  they  render  thus,  av.d  when  the  children  of 
If  rad  faro  it ,  they  faid  one  to  another  it  is  mania,  for  they 
wifi  not  what  it  was  :  Whereas  the  feptuaginf,  and  fev- 

O  2  era! 

•w 

*  Exod.  xvi.  14.  f  Numb.xi.  7,  %  Exod.  xvi.  5. 

%  About  CJVo  quarts  and  a  pint,  o f  our  measure,  "Exod,  xvi.  ^5, 


i86  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

eral  authors,  both  antient  and  modern,  have  tranflat- 
ed  the  text  according  to  the  original  :  The  Israelites, 
feeing  this, /aid  one  to  another ,  ^  what  is  it  ?  For  they  knew 
not  what  it  was .  For  we  mud  obferve  that  the  word 
by  whicli  fhey  afked  the  queftion  was  in  their  lan¬ 
guage  man  hit ,  which  fignifies  likewife  food  ready  pre¬ 
pared  ;  and  therefore  it  was  always  afterwards  called 
man,  or  manna. 

I  he  fcripture  gives  to  manna  the  name  of  the  bread 
of  heaven,  and  the  food  of  angels *  .*  Which  areundoubt- 
ediy  figurative  allufions  to  its  origin  and  its  value. 
1  he  author  of  the  book  of  wifdom  faysf  that  it  fo  ac¬ 
commodated  itfelf  to  every  one’s  tafle,  that  it  proved 
palatable  and  pleafing  to  all.  And  (fill  at  this  day, 
there  falls  manna  in  feveral  places  of  the  world  :  In 
Arabia,  Poland,  Calabria,  Mount  Libanus,  Dauphine, 
and  elfewhere.  The  mod  famous  is  that  of  Arabia, 
which  is  a  kind  of  condenfed  honey,  to  be  found  in 
iummer  upon  the  leaves  of  the  trees,  the  herbs,  the 
rocks,  or  the  fand  of  Arabia  Petrea.  It  is  of  the  fame 
figure  that  Mofes  defcribes.  That  about  Mount  Si¬ 
nai  is  of  a  very  flrong  fmell,  which  is  communicated 
to  it  by  the  herbs  upon  which  it  falls.  It  very  eafily 
evaporates,  infomuch  that  if  thirty  pounds  of  it  were 
to  be  kept  in  an  open  veffel,  there  would  hardly  ten 
of  it  remain  at  the  end  of  fifteen  days.  Salmafius 

thinks 

#  ii  Angel's  food  Pfal.  lxxviii.  25.  A  remark  of  Dr.  Du^ll’s, 

upon  this  pafTage  may  ferve  to  remove  many  difficult  es. 
feems  to  iignify  oxen  in  this  place,  as  Pfal.  xxii.  12.  J.  13.  ixviii.  30. 
lfai.  xxxiv.  7.  Jer,  1.  11.  but  this  word  is  ufed  in  no  other  place  to  de¬ 
note  angels.  The  correfponding  word  fTT’-fc  which  fignifies  any 
food  procured  by  burning,  countenances  the  firft  fenfe.  I  would  there¬ 
fore  tranflate— every  one  eat  the  fejh  of  oxen  :  He  Jent  them  •venijon  (or 
vi&uals)  in  plenty.  See  arf?  rendered  fejh,  Zeph.  i.  17, 

F  Ch,  xvi.  20,  2 i, 


the  B  I  B  L  IB*- 


Of 


thinks  this  of  the  fame  kind  with  that  which  fed  the 
children  of  Ifrael.  Several  moderns  are  of  the  fame 
opinion.  It  is  true  that  the  Arabian  manna  has  a 
medicinal  quality  :  But  they  pretend  that  if  one 
fhould  make  it  habitual,  the  flomach  might  be  accuf- 
tomed  to  it,  as  we  know  that  people  may  he  brought 
to  fuch  a  diet  as  is  naturally  but  little  convenient  lor 
maintaining  health.  But  we  ought  alio  to  acknowl¬ 
edge  that  the  manna  fpoken  of  by  Mofes,  had  miracu¬ 
lous  qualities,  not  to  be  found  in  the  common  ;  and 
which  probably  laded  no  longer  than  while  the  Israel¬ 
ites  were  fed  with  it.  However,  we  fhall  prefentthe 
opinion  of  the  learned  Michaelis*,  and  with  it  con¬ 
clude  this  interefling  article. 

u  Manna  bears  a  very  near  refemblance  to  the  dew* 
Its  origin  is  the  very  fame  ;  the  only  difference  being 
that  it  remains,  whereas  dew  evaporates.  From  this 
reafon  it  is  that  in  the  countries,  where  manna  is 
found,  they  have  imagined  that,  like  dew,  it  fed  fiona 
above,  and  this  conceit  has  got  footing  in  the  lan¬ 
guages.  There  is  another  kind  which  tne  Arabs,  by 
way  of  diftinflion,  term  celejlial  manna .  In  the  holy 
feripture  we  read  that  the  manna  fell  along  with  the 
dew,  and  by  the  fame  figure  which  the  profane  poets 
made  ufe  of  in  calling  the  latter  a  gift  of  heaven,  the 
truly  infpired  poet  has  called  the  manna  bread  Jrom 
heaven .  Thefe  expreffions,  to  which  the  orientals  were 
accuftomed  from  their  early  years,  have  confirmed 
them  in  the  opinion  that  the  manna  defeended.  It 
was  not  till  the  middle  of  the  16th  century  that  the 
falfity  of  that  opinion  began  to  be  feen  into,  and  that 
in  Italy  manna  was  found  to  be  no  more  than  a  gum 

exuding 

*  On  the  influence  of  opinions  or  language.  4to,  p.  56, 


Thh  NATURAL  HISTORY 

exuding  from  plants,  trees,  and  bufhes,  on  being  pierc¬ 
ed  by  certain  infefls," 

MARBLE.  A  valuable  kind  of  done  :  Of  a  con- 
dilution  fo  hard  and  compatt,  and  of  a  grain  fo  fine, 
as  readily  to  take  a  beautiful  polifh.  It  is  dug  out  of 
quarries  in  large  maffes,  and  is  much  ufed  in  build¬ 
ings,  ornamental  pillars,  &c.  It  is  of  different  co¬ 
lours,  black,  white,  &c.andis  fometimes  mod  elegant¬ 
ly  clouded  and  variegated.  The  done  mentioned 
1  Chron.  xxix.  2.  and  in  Edh.  i.  6.  is  in  the  original 
called  the  done  of  fis  or  jhijh  j  and  is  probably  a  pre¬ 
cious  done  unknown  to  us,  rather  than  a  kind  of  mar¬ 
ble.  David  mentions  it  as  fuch  in  the  enumeration 
he  makes  of  thofe  he  had  collefled  for  the  works,  or 
to  adorn  the  veffels  of  the  temple.  It  is  mentioned  in 
the  book  of  Edher  as  part  of  the  pavement  of  Ahaf- 
uerus.  The  ancients  fometimes  made  pavements 
wherein  were  fet  very  valuable  dones.* 

MELON. f  A  lufeious  fruit,  fo  well  known  that 
a  defeription  of  it  would  be  fuperfluous.  It  grows 
to  great  perfeflion,  and  is  highly  edeemed,  in  Egypt  5 
lerving  the  poorer  inhabitants  for  food,  drink,  and 
phyfic.t  The  juice  is  peculiarly  cooling  and  agreea¬ 
ble  in  that  fultry  climate  ;  where  it  isjudly  pronounc¬ 
ed  one  of  the  mod  delicious  refrefhments  that  nature, 
amidd  her  condant  attention  to, the  wants  of  man,  af¬ 
fords  in  the  feafon  of  violent  heat.  The 

*  ft  Eo  deliciarum  pervenimus,  ut  rvifi  r rczimas  calcare  nclimus.” 
Seneca,  epift.  85.  And  Apuieius,  thus  deferibes  the  pavement  of  the 
apartments  of  Pfyche,  pavimenta  i pfa  lafide  pretiajo  caenm  aiminu- 
to,  in  varia  piflrura  genera  diferiminabantur.” 

f  Melo,  Tournef'.  inft..R.  H,  104,  tab-  32.  Cucumis,  Lin.  gen. 
ph  969. 

|  HafTelquift,  p.  256., 


OF 


the  B  I  B  L  E." 


IS9 

The  Ifraelites  after  their  departure  from  Egypt,  re¬ 
gretted  the  lofs  of  this  fruit,  whole  pleafant  liquor 
had  fo  often  quenched  their  thirft,  and  relieved  their 
wearinefs  in  their  lervitude  ;  and  which  would  have 
been  exceedingly  grateful  in  a  dry,  fcorching,  delait. 

MILLET.*  A  kind  of  grain,  very  fmall,  but  ex¬ 
tremely  productive. 

MINT.+  A  garden  herb,  well  known. 

The  law  did  not  oblige  the  Jews  to  give  the  tythe 
of  this  fort  of  herbs  :  It  only  required  it  of  thofe 
things  which  could  be  comprehended  under  the  name 
of  income  or  revenue.  But  the  Pharilees,  dehrous  of 
diflinguifhing  themfelves  by  a  more  fcrupulous  and 
literal  obfervance  of  the  law  than  others,  gave  the 
tythes  of  mint,  anife,  and  cummin.  Matth.  xxiii.  23* 
Chrift  did  not  difcommend  this  exaClnefs  ;  but  com¬ 
plained  that  while  they  were  fo  precife  in  thefe  leffer 
matters,  they  negle&ed  the  more  efTential  command¬ 
ments  of  the  law,  and  fubfiituted  obfervances  frivo¬ 
lous  and  infignificant  in  the  place  of  juJtiU)  mercy ,  and 
truth , 

MOLE.  A  well  known  little  animal. 

The  Hebrew  word  thinfemeth ,  Levit.  xi.  30.  Boch- 
art  thinks  means  the  chameleon,  a  kind  of  lizard  which 
has  its  mouth  always  open  for  breathing,  whence  it 
has  its  Hebrew  name.  The  fame  author  thinks  choled , 
Jranflated  zveafcl ,  in  the  preceding  verfe,  the  true  word 
for  the  mole .  We  again  find  the  word,  in  Ifai.  ii.  20. 
from  a  verb  which  fignifies  to  dig,  which  agrees  with, 
and  by  the  confent  of  interpreters  is  taken  for,  this 
animal . 

MOTH. 

*  Milium,  Tournef.  inft.  R.  H.  514.  tab.  298.  Lin.  gen.  plant,  73, 

•f  Mentha,  Tournef.  inft.  188.  tab.  89.  Lin.  gen.  plant.  633. 


igo  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

MOTH.  A  little  infeft  which  infenfibly  confumes 
that  in  which  it  takes  up  its  lodging.  Some  lodge 
in  and  deftroy  cloth,  and  others  flowers,  leaves,  &.c. 

Misfortunes,  or  judgments,  which  infenfibly  con- 
fume  men’s  charafters  or  eftates,  are  likened  in  fcrip- 
ture  to  the  devastations  of  the  moth.  Ifai.  1,  9.  Ji.  8. 
fhe  beauty,  glory,  and  wealth  of  mortals,  are  defcrib- 
ed  as  wafting  like  a  moth ,  Pfal.  xxxix.  11  ;  fecretly, 

infenfibly,  but  quickly,  confumed _ He  who  buildeth 

his  fortunes  by  methods  of  injuflice,  is,  by  Job,  chap, 
xxvii.  18.  compared  to  the  moth ,  which,  by  eating 
into  the  garment  wherein  it  makes  its  habitation,  de- 
ftroys  its  own  dwelling.  The  fimile  reprefents  the 

oppreffor  as  working  ruin  to  his  o\vn  unrighteous  ac- 
quifitions. 

MOUSE.  A  fmall  mifchievous  animal,  known 
by  every  body.  All  interpreters  acknowledge  that 
the  Hebrew  word  achbar  fignifies  a  mouft  j  and  more 
efpecially  a  Jidd  moufe.  Mofes  declares  it  to  be  un¬ 
clean,  Levit.  xi.  29.  which  infinuates  that  it  was  eat¬ 
en  fometimes.  And  in  truth  it  is  affirmed,  that  the 
Jews  were  fo  opprefled  with  famine,  during  the  fiege 
of  Jerufalem  by  the  Romans,  that,  notwithftanding 
this  prohibition,  they  were  compelled  to  eat  dogs, 
mice,  and  rats.*  Ifaiaht,  juftly  reproaches  the  Jews 
with  eating  the  flefh  of  mice,  and  other  things  that 
•were  impure  and  abominable.  Herodotus  imputes 
the  ruin  of  the  army  of  Sennacherib  to  miceX  •  Thefe 
creatures,  he  fays,  having  gnawed  the  leather  of  their 
bucklers  one  night,  and  the  firings  of  their  bows,  Sen¬ 
nacherib  was  obliged  to  retreat  with  precipitation. 

it 

*  Hift.  Hebr.  tempi!  fecund!,  p.  241.  f  Ixvi.  17. 

X  Lib.  2.  c.  142. 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E« 


U)t 

It  is  known  what  fpoil  was  made  by  mice  in  the  fields 
of  the  Philiftines*,  after  this  people  had  brought  into 
their  country  the  ark  of  the  Lord  :  So  that  they  were 
obliged  to  take  the  refolution  to  fend  it  back,  accompa¬ 
nied  with  mice  and  ernrods  of  gold,  as  an  atonement 
for  the  irreverence  they  had  committed,  and  to  avert 
from  their  land  the  vengeance  that  purfued  them. — 
The  Aifyria  ns  who  befieged  Bethulia,  when  they  faw 
the  Hebrews  come  out  of  the  city  in  order  of  battle, 
expreffed  their  fcorn  and  contempt  by  comparing 
them  to  mice.t 

MULBERRYTREE.  2  Sam.  v.  23.  and  1  Chrorn 
xiv.  14.  15.  The  found  of  people’s  going  upon  the 
tops  of  the  trees,  is  a  thing  not  fo  congruous  to  our 
conceptions,  we  are  therefore  induced  to  fufpe£l  that 
the  word  Bochim ,  which  our  tranflation  calls  mulberry- 
trees ,  is,  in  reality,  the  proper  name  of  a  place  ;  and 
Beroche  Bochim ,  tops  of  mulberry  trees  ^  may  fignify  the 
mountains  of  Bochim.  And  fo  the  fenfe  of  the  words 
will  be,  <c  when  thou  heareji  a  noife ,  as  of  many  peopie 
marching .  upon  the  hills ,  or  high  places ,  of  Bochim ,  then 
thou  haft  nothing  to  do  but  to  fall  immediately  upon  the 
enemy  ”  This  interpretation  clears  the  text  from  any 
Teeming  abfurdity. 

MULE.  A  mongrel  kind  of  quadruped,  between 
the  horfe  and  the  afs.  Its  form  bears  a  confiderable 
refemblance  to  the  laft  mentioned  animal  :  But  in 
its  difpofitions  it  is  rather  vicious  and  intrattable  ;  fo 
that  its  obftlnacy  has  become  a  proverb. 

With  this  creature  the  early  ages  were  probably 
unacquainted.  It  is  very  certain  the  Jews  did  not 

breed 


*  i  Sara*  v.  6,  7.  See, 


f  Judith  xi*.  2. 


ttjz  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

oteed  mines  becaufs  it  was  forbidden  them  to  couple 
together  two  creatures  of  different  fpecies.*  But 
they  were  not  prohibited  the  making  ufe  of  them  : 
I  bus  we  find  in  David’s  time  that  they  had  become 
very  common,  and  made  up  a  confiderable  part  of 
the  equipage  of  princes. f 

dome  have  thought  that  Anah,  fon  of  Zibeon,  found 
out  the  manner  of  breeding  mules.  J  Our  tranflation 
cxprefsly  fays  it.  But  the  word  in  the  original  nev» 
cr  fignifies  mules,  but  they  are  always  expreffed  by 
a  word  which  has  no  refembiance  with  it.  It  is  faid 
that  Anah  found  the  jtmim  in  the  milder  nefs  :  But  the 
word  rendered  found  does  not  fignify  to  invent  or 
difcover  fome  new  thing.  It  is  ufed  more  than  four 
hundred  times  in  the  bible;  and  always  fignifies  to 
find  a  thing  which  exifts  already,  or  to  encounter 
with  a  perfon  or  enemy.  For  example,  as  when  it 
is  faid  of  the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Simeon  that  they 
jound ,  or  encountered  with,  Adoni  Befeck ,  at  Befeck ,  and 
fought  againjl  him .  Jud.  i.  5.  And  of  Saul,  that  the 
archers  Jound  him,  and  he  mas  fore  mounded.  1  Sam.  xxxi. 
3.  And  of  the  prophet  who  went  from  Judah  to  Beth- 
lehem,  that  a  lion  found ,  or  met,  him  in  the  may ,  and  flew 
him .  1  Kings,  xiii.  24.  It  does  not  follow  that  every 
thing  which  happens  in  feeding  of  affcs  fhouid  relate 
to  thofe  animals,  or  their  produflion  :  Befides,  there 
is  no  reference  here  to  horfes  or  mares,  without  which 
mules  cannot  be  produced.  Nor  is  it  probable  that 
the  way  of  engendering  mules  was  fo  known  in  the 
land  of  Edom  where  Anah  lived,  fince  we  read  noth¬ 
ing 

*  Levit.  xix.  39. 

f  2,  Sam.  xiii.  2,9.  xviii.  9.  1  Kings,  i.  33,  38,  44.  r.  25.  xvii* 

2  Cbron.  ix  .  24. 
t  Grn.xxxvi,  24. 


ing  of  thefe  animals  till  David’s  time,  as  we  have 
obferved  before,  which  was  more  than  feven  hun¬ 
dred  years  after.  It  is  therefore  much  more  likely 
that  the  Samaritan  verfion  has  the  true  fenfe  of  the 
original,  in  rendering  Emcans ,  who  were  neighbours 
of  the  Horites,  Gen.  xiv.  5.  and  likewife  the  Chaldee 
paraphrase  tranflating  it  giants,  bccaufe  the  E means  or 
the  Emines  were  as  tall  as  the  Anakims ,  and  pa  fled  for 
giants  as  well  as  they  ;  as  Moles  obferves,  Dent,  ii. 
10.  It  feems  alfo  that  the  Septuagint,  Aquila,  Sym- 
machus,  and  Theodotian,  mean  to  expire  Is  the  fame. 
And  this  verfion  we  are  advocating  is  not  expofed  to 
the  difficulties  which  the  other  tranflations  labour  un¬ 
der.  And  it  is  a  much  more  remarkable  circumftance, 
and  more  proper  to  give  a  character  of  diftin&ion  to 
Anah,  that  he  met  and  combated  fuch  formidable 
people  as  the  Emeans  were,  who  perhaps  lay  in  am- 
bufh  for  him  in  the  wildernefs.  than  to  obferve  with 
the  Latin,  vulgate,  and  fome  others,  that  he  difeovered 
hot  [brings,  or  that  he  had  invented  the  production 
of  mules,  which  fhould  be  looked  upon  rather  as  an 
effeCt  of  chance  than  of  ait  or  reafon.  This  has  in¬ 
duced  fome  of  the  Jewifh  Rabbies*  to  abandon  the 
opinion  of  a  great  many  of  their  doCtors,  and  to  fol¬ 
low  the  Chaldee  paraphrafe. 

MUSTARD. f  A  well  known  garden  herb. 

Chvift  compares  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  a  grain 
cj  wuflard  feed,  which  a  man  took  and  /owed  in  the  earth, 
which  indeeu,  j aid  nc,  is  the  leaji  0/  all  /ids,  but  when  it  is 

grown 

mi\.  Solomon,  Nachmanides,  Jacob  Abendanab,  and  A*aroi 
Codralta. 

t  Sinapi,  Tournef.  inft.  R.  H.  227,  tab,  112.  L'n,  gen,  pi,  *735. 

R  ' 


V 


194  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

grown,  is  the  grtateft  among  herbs ,  and  becometh  a  tret  fa 
that  the  buds  of  tree  air  come  and  lodge  in  the  branches 
thereof.  Math,  xiii.  31 ,  32.  This  expreflion  will  not 
feem  ftrange,  fays  Sir  Thom  as  Browne,  if  we  recoi¬ 
led  that  the  muftard  feed,  though  it  be  not  {imply 
and  in  itfclf  the  fmalleft  of  feeds,  yet  may  be  very 
well  believed  to  be  the  fmallefl  of  fuch  as  are  apt  to 
grow  unto  a  ligneous  fubflance.  and  become  a  kind 
of  tree.  He  obferves  likewife  that,  the  parable  may 
not  ground  itfelf  upon  generals  or  imply  any  or  eve¬ 
ry  grain  of  rauflard,  but  point  at  fuch  a  peculiar  grain 
as  from  its  fertile  fpirit  and  other  concurrent  advan¬ 
tages  has  the  fuccefs  to  become  arboreous.  The  ex- 
prefTion  alfo  that  it  might  grow  into  fuch  dimenfions 
that  birds  might  lodge  on  its  branches,  may  be  liter¬ 
ally  conceived,  if  we  allow  the  luxuriancy  of  plants 
In  India  above  our  northern  regions.  And  he  men¬ 
tions  upon  this  occafion,  what  is  recorded  in  the  Jew- 
ifh  flory,  of  a  muftard  tree  that  was  to  be  climbed 
like  a  figtree.  The  Talmud  alfo  mentions  one  whofe 
branches  were  fo  extenfive  as  to  cover  a  tent.* 

MYRRH,  t  A  precious  kind  of  gum,  iffuing  by 
incihon,  and  fometimes  fpontaneoufly,  from  the  trunk 
and  larger  branches  of  a  tree  growing  in  Egypt,  Ara¬ 
bia,  and  Abyfiinia.  It  is  of  a  bitter  tafle,  but  was 
much  efteemed  for  its  delicious  fragrancy,  and  vari- 
oufly  ufed  as  an  excellent  perfume.  Sometimes  it  was 
worn  in  the  bofom,  tied  up  in  a  little  bag,  to  ftreagth- 
en  the  heart  and  exhilarate  the  fpirits.  Cantic.  i.  13, 
It  was  always  among  the  ingredients  for  embalm¬ 
ing  the  dea  J.  The 

*  See  on  this  fufj  Lightfoot’s  Heb.  and  talm.  exercit.  in  loc. 
T<  err,  ell.  in  loc.  Raphe!,  ainot.  ex  Herodot.  p.  163.  and  Dod- 
bridge’s  farn-  <xpo;.  *•  ’ 

■\  In  Hebrew  rW'-hixod.  xx>.\  25. 

' 

* 


/ 


195 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 

The  Magi  who  came  from  the  Eafl  to  worfhip 
Chrift  at  Bethlehem  made  him  among  other  things 
a  prefent  of  myrrh.* 

Mention  is  made  in  the  gofpel  of  wine  mingled  with 
myrrh ,  Mark,  xv.  23.  which  they  offered  to  Jefus  at 
his  paflion,  to  take  from  him,  as  feme  fuppofe,  the 
too  quirk  fenfe  of  pain.  Among  the  Hebrews  they 
were  ufed  to  give  to  thole  who  wcie  executed  iucli 
forts  of  ftupifyifig  liquors.  1'  Some  think  this  the 
lame  with  the  wine  mixed  with  gall,  mentioned  by  Sf» 
Matthew  :  But  others  difiinguifh  between  them.J 
St.  Matthew,  writing  in  Syriac,  made  ufe  of  the 
word  marra,  which  fignines  myrrh,  bitternefs ,  and  gall: 
And  it  feerns  that  the  Greek  tranflator  underflood  it 
in  the  latter  fenfe  ;  fo  that  there  is  a  Teeming  differ¬ 
ence  in  the  accounts  of  the  two  evangelills.— -It  is 
certain  that  the  vinum  myrrhatum  was  ufed  among  the 
ancients.  § 

The  myrrh  fpoken  of  Gen.  xxxvii.  25.  and  xliii. 
11,  Celfus,  from  the  affinity  of  names  in  Arabic,  &c. 
concludes  to  be  the  gum  called  ledum,  or  ladanum.\\ 
Urhnus  confirms,  by  unanfwerable  proofs,  this  fig- 
mfication  of  the  Hebrew  loth* 

MYRTLE. H  A  fhrub,  fometimes  growing  to  a 
fmall  tree,  very  common  in  Judea.  It  has  a  hard 
woody  root  that  fends  forth  a  great  number  of  fmall 
flexible  branches,  furniffied  with  leaves  like  thofe  of 
box,  but  much  lefs  and.  more  pointed;  they  are  foft 
to  the  touch,  fhining,  fmooth,  of  a  beautiful  green, 

and 

#  Matth.  ii.  11.  f  Prov.  xxx:«6.  See  Talmud.  trs&.  Sanhcd.c.6. 

$  Edwards’  exercltations.  §  PVin.  1,  14.  c.  13, 

Hierobot.  p.  1.  p,  2,80.  % 

My rtus,  Tournef,  ipft.  R.  H.  640., tab.  409. Lin, geo,  plant. 543, 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

and  have  a  Tweet  froell.  The  flowers  grow  amonr 
the  leaves,  and  confift  of  five  white  petals  difpofed 
m  the  Torm  of  a  rofe  ;  They  have  an  agreeable  per¬ 
fume  and  ornamental  appearance.  They  are  fuc- 
teeded  by  an  ova!,  oblong  berry,  adorned  with  a 
iort  of  crown  made  up  of  the  Tegments  of  the  calix  : 

I  hefe  are  divided  into  three  cells  containing  the 
feeds. 

Nehcmiah  fent  the  people  into  the  fields  to  bring 

myrtle,  palm,  and  olive  branches,  to  make  tents  at 
the  feall  of  tabernacles.* 

The  ttee  is  alfo  fpoken  of  by  Ifaiahf  and  Zecha- 

xhh.f 

NK  F  JTLii^.  It  is  not  known  what  plant  is  in¬ 
tended  by  tne  word  tranflated  nettles.  It  is  men- 
tionea  in  Joo,  xxx.  7.  as  large  enough  for  people  to 
gather  themfelves  under.  Bochart  fuppofes  it  the 
mu  liar  d  tree  :  But  Celfius  and  Schultens  think  that 
there  and  in  other  places^  it  means  a  thorny  fhrub, 
growing,  fometimes  to  a  confiderable  height,  in  de- 
fert,  uncultivated  grounds. 

N jG  h  1  SHADE.  ||  A  poifonous  plant;  well 
known.  The  clufters  of  berries  it  bears  have  a  very 
beautiful  appearance  :  The  unwary  have,  however, 
too  often  experienced  their  fatal  effefis. 

;  i 

NITRE.  The  natrum  of  the  ancients  was  an 
earthy  alkaline  fait.  It  was  found  in  abundance  fep- 
arated  from  the  water  of  the  lake  Natron  in  Egypt. 
It  rifes  from  the  bottom  of  the  lake  to  the  top  of  the 
water,  and  is  there  condenfed  by  the  heat  of  the  fun 

into 

*  Nehem.  viii.  15.  f  Ch.  xli,  19.  Iv.  13.  t  Ch.  8;io,,ii, 

^  Prov.  xxiv,  31,  Zeph.  ii.  9.  |j  Soiraum  lediale.  Lin, 


197 


o *  the  BIBLE. 

Into  the  hard  and  dry  form  in  which  it  is  fold. 
This  fait  thus  fcummed  off,  is  the  fame  in  all  refpe&s 
with  the  Smyrna  loapearth.  Pliny,  Matthiolus,  and 
Agricola,  have  defcribed  it  to  us  :  Hippocrates,  Ga¬ 
len,  Diofcorides,  and  others,  mention  its  ufes. 

It  is  alfo  found  in  great  plenty  in  Sindy,  a  prov¬ 
ince  in  the  inner  part  of  Afia,  and  in  many  other 
parts  of  the  Eaft  ;  and  might  be  had  in  any  quanti¬ 
ties. 

The  learned  Michaelis*  plainly  demonffrates 
from  the  nature  of  the  thing  and  the  context,  that 
this  foffil  and  natural  alkali  muff  be  that  which  the 
Hebrews  called  nether . 

Solomon  muff  mean  the  fame  when  he  compares 
the  effect  which  unfeafonable  mirth  has  upon  a  man 
in  affli&ion  to  the  a&ion  of  vinegar  upon  nitre,  Prov. 
xxv.  20.  For  vinegar  has  no  effeft  upon  what  we 
call  nitre ,  but  upon  the  alkali  in  queftion  has  a  great 
effeft,  making  it  rife  up  in  bubbles  with  much  efler- 
vefcence.;F 

It  is  of  a  foapy  nature,  and  was  ufed  to  take  fpots 
from  cloths,  and  even  from  the  face.  Jeremiah  al¬ 
ludes  to  this  ule  of  it.  ii.  22.  [See  Soapearth, J 

NUTTREE.  The  fruit  of  the  Piftachio  tree*, 
common  in  Arabia,  Perfia,  and  Syria,  muff  be  that 
fpoken  of  Gen.  xliii.  11.  The  tree  grows  to  the 
height  of  twenty  five  or  thirty  feet.  The  bark  of 
the  Item  and  the  old  branches  is  of  a  dark  ruflet  col¬ 
our, 

*  Comment.  Reg.  Gotting.  1763.  and  Nov.  aft.  erui.  an.  1767/ 
P*  455 * ; 

f  WatfonVchem.  etfays,  v.  1,  p,  130. 

f  Piftacia.  Lin.  gen.  plant.  9S2,  Lsntifcus,  Tcurnef.  inft.  R.  II* 
579.  tab.  345* 

R  2 


I 


t 


198  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

our,  but  of  that  of  the  young  branches  is  of  a  light , 
brown  ;  thefe  are  furnifhed  with  winged  leaves,  com-' 
pofed  fometimes  of  two,  and  at  others  of  three  pair 
ol  lobes,  terminated  by  an  odd  one  :  Thefe  lobes  ap¬ 
proach  towards  an  oval  fhape,  and  their  edges  turn 
backward.  The  flowers  come  out  from  the  fide  of 
the  branches  in  loofe  bunches  or  catkins.  To  thefe 
fucceed  the  nuts  which  are  of  the  fize  and  fhape  of 
hazle  nuts,  only  they  are  a  little  angular,  and  higher 
on  one  fide  than  on  the  other.  They  are  covered 
with  a  double  fhell,  the  outermoft  of  which  is  mem¬ 
braneous,  dry,  thin,  brittle,  and  reddifh  when  ripe  ; 
the  other  is  woody,  brittle,  fmooth  and  white.  The 
kernel  is  of  a  pale  greenifh  colour  ;  of  an  oily,  fweet- 
ifh  tafle,  and  quite  agreeable  to  the  palate. 

OAK.*  The  largeft,  moil  durable,  and  ufeful  of 
forefi  trees.  It  has  been  renowned  from  remote!!  an¬ 
tiquity  ;  cherifhed  by  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  con- 
fecrated  to  their  Gods ;  and  celebrated  by  the  facri- 
fices  of  many  nations. 

Celfius  judges  that  elah ,  allah ,  dim ,  in  the  places 
mentioned  in  the  notef,  and  elon ,  tranflated  Uain+ 
do  all  fignify  the  turpentine  tree,  or  terebinthus  judaica . 
But  that  allon §  fignifies  an  oak,  and  is  derived  from 
a  root  denoting  Jlrength .  That  different  trees  are 
meant  by  thefe  different  words  is  certain  from  Gen* 

xxxv. 

*  Quercus,  Tourn.  inft.  R.  H.  582.  tab.  349.  Lin.  gen,  plant.  949. 
t  Gen.  xxjcv.  4.  Jcfh.  xxiv.  26,  Jud.  vi.  11,  19.  1  S  am.  xvii.  2 ,  i£. 
xxi.  9.  2  Sam.  xviii.  9,  10,  14.  1  Kings,  xiii.  14.  t-  Chron.  x.  12. 
Ifai.  i.29,  30.  vi.33.  Ivii.  5.  Ixi.  3.  Ezek.  vi.  13.  xxxi.  14.  Hof.iv.13. 

4  Gen.  xii.  6.  xiii.  18.  xiv.  13.  xviii.  1.  Deut.  xi.  30.  Jud.  ix.  6, 
37,  1  Sam.  x.  3. 

^  Gen.  xxxv.  8,  Ifai.  3i,  33,  vi.  13.  xliv.  34.  Ezek.  xxvii.  6» 
Amos,  ii,  9.  Zech.  xi.  2, 


of  the  B  I  B  L  E,  199. 

XXXV,  4,8.  Ifai.  vi.  16.  Hof.  iii.  13.  And  proba¬ 
bly  they  fignify  the  trees  he  mentions. 

Bifhop  Lowth  thinks  that  neither  the  oak  nor  the 
terebinth  will  do  in  liai.  i.  2p,  30*  the  ciicum- 

ftance  of  their  being  deciduous  ;  for  the  prophet's 
defigti  feems  to  require  an  evergreen  :  Otherwife  the 
calling  of  its  leaves  would  be  nothing  out  of  the 
common  eftablilhed  courie  of  nature,  and  no  proper 
image  of  extreme  diftrefs,  and  total  defertion  ;  paral¬ 
lel  to  that  of  a  garden  without  water,  that  is,  wholly 
burnt  up  and  dedroyed.  An  ancient*,  who  was  an 
inhabitant  and  a  native  of  this  country,  underftands 
it,  in  like  manner,  of  a  tree  dialled  with  uncommon 
and  immoderate  heat.f  Upon  the  whole  he  chufes 
to  make  it  the  ilex ;  which  word  Voffius  derives 
from  the  Hebrew  alath:  That  whether  the  word  it- 
felf  be  rightly  rendered  or  not,  the  propriety  of  the 
poetical  image  might  at  lead  be  preferved. 

OCHRE .  A  foffil  earth,  of  a  chalky  nature.  Bilh- 
op  Lowth  tranllates  the  Hebrew  word  improperly 
rendered  line  in  our  verfion  of  lfai.  xliv.  13.  red  ochre , 
It  may  be  of  the  kind  found  in  the  illand  of  Ormus 
in  the  gulph  of  Perfia,  whence  it  is  by  fome  called  Per- 
fian  earth.  This  is  of  a  fine  purple,  or  glowing  red 
colour,  of  a  tolerably  compaft  and  hard  texture. 

But  Dr.  TaylorJ  renders  the  word  4S  an  indrument, 
perhaps  a  gage,  which  llatuaries  ufed  in  lhaping  a 
ilatue,  to  determine  how  much  of  the  wood  or  Hone 
ought  to  remain §  after  the  fuperfluous  part  was  chip¬ 
ped  off.” 

OIL, 

*  Ephrscm.  Syr.  in  loc.  edit,  AiTemani. 

f  Compare  Pfal.  i.  4.  Jer.  xvii.  3.  £  Heb.  CoflC,  202 7. 

§  h  comes  from  a  root  fignifying  to  remain. 


X 


SCO  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

P^'j  J"e  ancient  oil  was  that  probably; 

extracted  from  olives. 

The  Hebrews  ufed  common  oil  in  their  meat  of¬ 
ferings,  in  their  lamps,  See,  But  there  was  an  oint>> 
ment  very  precious  and  facred  ufed  in  anointing  the 
priefts,  the  tabernacle  and  furniture.*  This  was 
compounded  of  fpicy  drugs  ;  namely,  myrrh,  fweet 
cinnamon,  fweet  calamus,  and  caflia,  mixed  with  oil 
olive.  Maimonides  pretends  to  tell  us  the  manner, 
of  making  this  mixture.  «  Each  of  thefe  four  fpecies* 
faith  he,  was  pounded  feparately  ;  then  they  were  alL 
mixed  together,  and  a  flrong  decodlion  of  them  made, 
with  water ;  which,  being  ftrained  from  the  ingre¬ 
dients,  was  boiled  up  with  the  oil  till  the  water  was  > 
all  evaporated, i” 


OLIVETREE,  Tournefort  mentions  eighteen  ■> 
kinds  of  olives  ;  but  in  the  feripture  we  only  read  of 
the  cultivated  and  wild  olive.  The  cultivated  olive 
is  of  a  moderate  height,  .thrives  belt  in  a  funny  and 
wann  foil.  Its  trunk  is  knotty  :  Its  bark  is  fmootb, 
and  of  an  aih  colour  ;  Its  wood  is  folid,  and  yellow- 
ilh  j  its  leaves  are  oblong,  and  almoft  like  thofe  of  the 
willow,  of  a  dark  green  colour  on  the  upper  fide, 
and  a  whitifh  below.  In  the  month  of.  JAne  it  puts 
forth  white  flowers,  growing  in  bunches,  each  of  one 
piece,  and  widening  toward  the  top,  and  dividing 
into  four  parts.  After  this  flower,  fucceeds  the  fruit, 
which  is  oblong  and  plump.  It  is  fir fb  green,  then 
pale,  and.  when  quite  ripe,  .becomes  black.  Within 

it 

*  Exod*  xxx.  23,  24,  2.5. 

f  De  apparatu  temp’i,  c.  x.  fee.  1.  apud  Crenii  fafeic.  fext,  p, 
^4*  et  feq.  Comment,  in  Miihn*  tit,  cheritb,  c.  1.  fee.  1.  tom.  5. 
p.  237.  edit.  Surenh.  Hotting,  de  leg.  H«br,  107,  Schikard  jus/ 
ieg.  Hebr,  theoi,  4.  p,  63, 


201 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E« 

It  is  inclofed  a  hard  (tone,  filled  with  oblong  feeds. 
The  wild  olives  were  of  a  leffer  kind.  Canaan  much 
abounded  with  olives.*  It  Teems  almofl  every  pro¬ 
prietor,  kings  or  fubjefts,  had  their  oliveyaras. f  As 
olives  were  emblems  oi  peace,  the  olive  leal  brought 
to  Noah  by  his  dove  might  intimate  Cod’s  being  re¬ 
conciled  to  men.  To  figure  out  Jefus  as  the  peace¬ 
ful  means  of  our  accefs  to  God,  and  lupporter  of  the 
church,  the  door  and  pods  of  the  entrance  to  the 
holy  of  holies,  and  the  pods  of  the  door  of  the  tem¬ 
ple,  were  of  olive  wood:  And  to  mark  the  peaceful 
minidration  of  angels  and  miniders  to  the  church, 
Solomon  made  his  two  large  cherubims-  for  cover¬ 
ing  the  ark,  of  olivetrees ,  i  Kings,  vi.  23,-  3 1 ,  33. 
1  he  two  anointed  olive  trees  before  the  L.ord,  may  de¬ 
note  the  priedhood  and  magidracy  of  the  Jewifh 
nation.  Zech.  iv.  3,  12,  14.  Saints  and  minif- 
ters  are  like  olive  trees. %  The  Jews  are  likened 
to  green  flourifning ,  and  cultivated  olives §  :  j  How  beau¬ 
tiful  and  profperous  their  condition  under  the  fmiles 
of  providence  !  and  j  what  glory  to  God,  and  good 
to  men,  might  they  not  have  promoted.,  had  they  im¬ 
proved  their  privilege  1  The  Gentiles  were  wild  olives (!, 
grafted  upon  the  root  of  a  cultivated  olive  tree,  while 
the  natural  branches  were  broken  off;  while  the 
Jews  were  ejefted  from  the  church,  they  who  had 
for  many  ages  been  wicked  and  ufelefs,  were  brought 
into  it,  partook  of  the  promifes  made  to  Abraham, 
Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  and  were  edified  by  the  doftrines 
of  the  Jewifh  prophets  and  apoftles.  Wicked  men 

are 


*  Dcut.  vi.  II.  viii.  8.  xxviii,  40. 
f  I  Chron .  xxvii.  28.  1  Sam.  viii.  14.  Neh.  v.  11. 

J  Jud.  ix.  8,  9.  Pf.  Jii.  8,  Rev.  xi.  4. 

§  Jen  xi.  16.  Hof.  xiv.  6,  [j  Rom.  xi.  17,  34, 


£02  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

are  like  olives*,  which  call  their  leaves  before  their 
feafon,  and  fo  bear  no  fruit ;  their  apparent  piety, 
and  their  profperity,  come  quickly  to  an  end.  Chil¬ 
dren  are  likened  to  olive  plants. t  j  How  quick  their 
growth!  j  how  delightful  and  frelh  their  beauty! 

>  what  an  encouraging  profpedh  of  their  increafmg 
value  and  future  ufefulnefs  i 

ONION.  A  well  known  garden  herb  with  a  bul¬ 
bous  root.  The  allium  cepa ,  by  the  Arabs  called  bafal , 
Haffelquift  thinks  one  of  the  fpecies  of  onions  for 
which  the  Israelites  longed.  Pie  would  infer  this 
from  the  quantities  Hill  ufed  in  Egypt,  and  their 
goodnefs.  «  Whoever  has  tailed  onions  in  Egypt, 
days  he,  rnuft  allow  that  none  can  be  had  better  in 
any  part  or  the  univerfe.  Here  they  are  fweet  ;  in 
other  countries  they  are  naufeous  and  ftrong.  Here 
they  are  foft ;  whereas  in  the  northern,  and  other 
parts,  they  are  hard,  and  their  coats  fo  compact  that 
they  are  difficult  of  digeftion.  Hence  they  cannot  in 
any  place  be  eaten  with  lefs  prejudice,  and  more  fat  if* 
faction,  than  in  Egypt,” 

The  Egyptians  are  reproached  with  fwearing  by 
the  leeks  and  onions  of  their  gardens,  JuvenalJ 
ridicules  thefe  luperftitious  people  who  did  not  dare 
to  eat  leeks,  garlic,  or  onions,  for  fear  of  injuring 
their  Gods. 

Pcrrum  e£  cepa  nefas  •violare  aut  fr  anger  e  morfu  j 
//  0  fanEias  gentes  auibus  bcsc  nafcuntur  in  bortis 
JSlumina  //” 

t( >rl  is  mortal  fin  an  onion  to  devour  j 
Sach  clove  of  garlic  has  a  facred  power, 
ii  Religious  nation  fure,  and  bleft  abodes, 

Where  every  garden  is  o’erun  with  God*§  !!” 

ONYCHA. 

%  Job,  xv.  32*  f*  Pfal.  cxxviii.  3. 

I  Sat.  xv.  §  Tate’s  tranflatiou,  amended,' 


I 


OF  THE  BIBLE,  203 

ONY'CHA,*  An  odoriferous  fhell.  It  is  fifhcd 
for  in  watry  places  in  the  Indies,  and  in  the  Red  Sea, 
near  to  where  grows  the  fpica  nardi,  which  is  the 
food  of  the  hfh,  and  V/hat  makes  the  fhell  fo  aromatic. 
This  is  what  Diofcorides  fays  of  it, 

ONYX.  A  precious  flone  ;  commonly  called  cor¬ 
nelian.  Its  Hebrew  name  is fiohem .  It  is  firft  men¬ 
tioned  as  being  found  in  the  land  of  Havilab,  Gen. 
ii.  12  :  And  Pliny  fays  there  were  quarries  of  ony>: 
marble  in  Arabia,  It  was  the  eleventh  jewel  in  the 
high  Priefts  pe&oral,  Exod.  xxviii,  20. 


ORICHALCUM.  A  very  precious  kind  of  metal. 

From  the  Greek  word  which  means 

mountain  copper ,  I  fliould  fuppofe  a  natural  mineral +  in¬ 
tended  by  what  the  Latins  called  orichalcum  and  auri- 
thalcum  j  and  that  it  is  the  fame  with  x&AxoAiS&i/oc 
ere  oj  Mount  Lebanon ,  Rev.  i,  15,  ii.  18  :  But  it  is  gene¬ 
rally  thought  to  be  a  compound fubjiance.  Thofe  who 
fpeak  of  it  accurately,  diftinguifh  it  into  three  kinds  : 
In  the  firft,  gold  was  the  prevailing  metal  ;  in  the 
lecond,  filver  ;  in  the  third,  gold,  hlver,  and  copper, 
were  equally  blended.  This  compofition  was  very 
famous  ;  extolled  for  its  beauty,  its  folidity,  its  rarity  : 
It  was  even  preferred  to  gold  itfelf.  It  was  capable 
of  receiving  an  exquifite  polifh  :  And  was  probably 
that  metal  ufed  for  the  mirrors  mentioned  Exod. 
xxxviii.  8,  Job,  xxxvii.  18.  Ifai.  ii.  3.—ln  thefe 
qualities,  platina ,  which  is  a  native  mineral ,  much  re- 
fembles  it. —  t  he  Syriac  verfion  of  the  bible  pretends 
that  the  velfels  which  Hiram  gave  Solomon  for  the 


Exod.  xxx.  34. 


temple 


t  See  0!  fo  Rul.  lexlc.  chyim  v,  9.  Gar,  Li  bar,  S.  A.  Ch,  I.  7.  c, 

’4*  CVTel,  hrxic,  rped. 


4 


204  The  NATURAL  HISTORY' 

i 

temple  were  made  of  this  compofition.  Efdras  is 
mentioned  by  Jofephus  as  delivering  up  to  the  Priefls, 
among  other  treafures,  “  ve/els  of  bra/s  that  were  more 
valuable  than  gold*  Upon  which  Dr,  Iludfon  takes 
notice  that,  “  this  kind  of  brafs  or  copper,  or  rather 
mixture  of  gold  and  copper,  was  called  aurichalcum  ; 
and  was  of  old  efleemed  the  moft  precious  of  me¬ 
tals. 5> 

Corinthian  brafs  Teems  to  be  a  fimilar  metallic  fub- 
fiance.  This  is  faid  to  have  been  made  of  the  united 
gold,  fdver,  and  copper  ilatues,  veffels,  &c.  which 
were  melted  together  when  Corinth  was  burnt  by  the 
Romans.  This  mixture  was  for  ages  held  in  the 
higheft  efiimalion.  Its  rarity  feems  to  be  the  princi¬ 
pal  caufe  of  its  exorbitant  value.  It  became,  hence, 
a  proverb,  that  thofe  who  would  appear  more  perfect 
than  others  in  the  arts,  had  fmelt  the  purity  of  Gorin* 
thian  brafs.  This  makes  the  fubjefl  of  a  lively  epi* 
gram  of  Martial's  : 

t(  Confuluit  narrs  an  olerent  sera  Corlnthum, 

Culpavit  ftatuas,  et  PolycJete  tuas.” 

Under  the  article  brafs ,  I  obferved  that  the  mixture 
known  among  us  by  that  name  was  a  modern  invention , 
and  concluded  of  courfe  that  fome  other  metal  mud 
be  intended  by  the  word  fo  rendered  in  our  tranfla- 
tion  of  the  bible.  I  do  not  as  yet  fee  reafon  to  alter 
my  opinion  :  But  I  would  add  here  fome  remarks  in 
its  jiifl ideation.  It  is  true  the  fubflance  nekejl  is  fpok- 
en  of  as  known  prior  to  the  flood,  and  to  have  been 
difeovered  in  the  feventh  generation  from  Adam,  Gen, 
iv.  22.  That  and  iion  were  both  wrought  by  the 
fame  difeoverer.  And  the  knowledge  of  them  muff 

have 

*  Antjq.  1.  II*  c.  5.  fee,  2.  and  1  Efdr,  ii.  13. 


OF  THE  BIBLE.  cor, 

have  been  equally  carried  over  the  world  afterwards 
with  the  fpreading  colonies  of  the  Noachidtc.  An 
acquaintance  with  the  one  and  the  other  was  abfo- 
iutely  necelfarv  to  the  exigence  of  the  colonifls  ;  the 
clearing  away  of  the  woods  about  their  fettlements  and 
the  erection  of  houfes  for  their  habitation.  Agreea¬ 
bly  to  this,  the  ancient  hiflories  of  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  fpeak  of  Cadmus  as  the  inventor  of  the  min¬ 
eral,  which  by  the  former  is  called  xoeX xo;  and  by  the 
latter  as  :  And  from  him  it  had  the  denomination 
tadmea .  According  to  others,  Cadmus  difeovered  a 
mine,  of  which  he  taught  the  ufe.  The  perfon  here 
fpoken  of,  was  undoubtedly  the  fame  with  Ham  or 
Cam,  the  fon  of  Noah*,  who  probably  learnt  the  art 
of  -allaying  metals  from  the  family  of  Tubalcain,  and 
communicated  that  knowledge  to  the  people  of  the 
colony  which  he  fettled. 

All  the  Greek  writers,  even  to  Hefiod,  fpeak  of 
xccXxogy  by  which,  I  am  convinced,  a  fimple,  and  not 
a  compound,  metal  is  intended  ;  Whence  come  the 
Latin  words,  calx ,  the  heel,  and  calco ,  to  tread  upon  j  as 
much  as  to  fay  fo?nething  underfoot ,  beneath  thefurface  of 
the  earth.  The  Romans  gave,  as  we  obferved  before, 
the  name  as  to  the  fame  fubitance,  and  we  have  trans¬ 
lated  it  brafsh,  though  it  is  as  likely  to  have  been  cop - 
p>er.  Indeed  Cartel  fays  it  was  the  fame  with  what 
was  afterwards  called  cuprum.%  Fliny  is  the  firft  who 

ufes 

*  See  this  fully  proved  in  Bryant's  Mythology. 

■f  Brajs ,  is  the  W  thhprei  :  And  it  fignifies  any  thing  mixed  with. 

copper.^  [See  Davies  Welch  didiionary  ;  Junius  etymoh  and  John. 
Ton’s  ditfionary.J 

t  Bexic.  Med. 

S 


2o5  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

ufes  the  term  cup  reus  j  and  fince  his  time  cuprum , 
which  is  a  corruption  of  ass  cyprinum,  has  gotten  into 
ufe.* 

•  The  Hebrew  name  for  the  mineral  in  our  bibles  ren¬ 
dered  brafs  is  J1OT3  mheft,  derived,  according  to  Dr. 
Taylor,  from  the  verb  £^3  nehes,  which  fignifies  to  ob- 
ferve  zuith  attention ,  to  fcrutinize ,  to  look  out  for  omens ,  &c, 
at  the  fame  time  he  acknowledges  that  its  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  root  is  uncertain.”  Now,  if  we  may 
venture  to  conje&ure  one  fingle  letter  wrongly  turn¬ 
ed,  and  to  write  it  netejl,  we  may  derive  it  from 

the  verb  netes,  which  fignifies  to  dig  up  j  the  ve¬ 
ry  meaning  c i  fofftU  which  comes  from  the  Latin  verb 
fodio ,  to  dig.  So  the  Hebrew  mud  either  mean  min¬ 
erals  in  general,  or  at  lead  a  native  (and  not  a  facti¬ 
tious)  mineral.  [See  Erafsd] 

OSPREY.  The  great  fea  eagle. +  It  bears  fome 
refemblance  to  the  golden  eagle,  with  which  it  has 
fome  times  been  confounded.  The  colours  of  the 
head,  neck,  and  body,  are  the  fame  with  the  golden 
eagle,  but  much  lighter,  the  tawny  part  in  this  pre¬ 
dominating  :  In  fize  it  is  far  fuperiour  ;  the  bill  is 
larger,  more  hooked,  and  more  arched.  Underneath 
grow  feveral  (hort  drong  hairs  or  bridles,  forming  a 
fort  of  beard  :  Some  writers  have  therefore  fuppofed 
it  to  be  the  aquila  barbata ,  or  bearded  eagle,  of  Pliny. 
The  intericur  fides,  and  the  tips  of  the  feathers  of  the 
tall,  are  of  a  deep  brown.  The  exteriour  Tides  of 
fome  are,  of  an  iron  colour,  in  others  fpottcd  with 
white.  The  legs  are  drong,  thick,  and  of  a  yellow 

colour, 

*  Cuprum.  ei  Nondum  prslatus  au&or  antiquior  Spartiano  Ca- 
saccalla.”  Gefaer  thefaur.  ling,  lat . 

'\  Halia^s. 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


207 


colour,  and  feathered  but  little  below  the  knees  ; 
which  is  an  invariable  diftinftion  between  this  and  the 
golden  eagle.  This  nakednefs  of  the  legs,  however, 
is  of  no  fmail  confequence  to  a  bird  that  preys  among 
the  waters. — The  claws  are  of  a  deep  and  fhining 
black,  exceedingly  large  and  ftrong,  and  hooked  into 
a  perfefl  femicircle.  Writers  all  agree  that  this  eagle 
feeds  principally  upon  lilh  *,  which  it  leizes,  as  they 
are  fwimming  near  the  furface,  by  darting  itlelf  down 
upon  them.  I 

OSSIFRAGE.*  A  large  eagle.  It  has  its  name 
from  its  breaking  the  bones  of  animals  in  order  to 
come  at  the  marrow.  Buffoni  makes  this  but  anoth¬ 
er,  or  rather  the  original,  name  of  the  lad  defcribed 
bird.  If  the  fame  with  that,  then  in  Levit.  xi.  13. 
and  Deut.  xiv.  12.  where  both  are  fpoken  of,  the 
former  may  be  the  ojfifragt  or  ofprey ,  and  the  latter  the 
black  eagle.  Bochart  judifes  this  conjecture.  The 
names  of  thele  birds  are  found  no  where  in  fcripture 
but  in  thofe  two  places  we  have  mentioned. 

OSTRICH.  Generally  thought  to  be  the  larged, 
at  lead  it  is  one  of  the  tailed  birds  in  the  world  ;  be¬ 
ing  full  feven,  and  fometimes  eight  feet  in  height, 
from  the  top  of  the  head  to  the  ground,  and  about 
four  from  the  back  to  the  ground.  When  the  neck 
is  ftretched  out  in  a  right  line  it  meafures  fix  feet  from 
the  head  to  the  rump,  and  the  tail  about  a  foot  more. 
One  of  the  wings  is  a  foot  and  an  half  long  without 
the  feathers,  and  with  the  feathers  three  feet.  The 
plumage  is  generally  black  and  white,  though  it  is  faid 

to 

*  That  is  the  bone  breaker. 

-f  Hift,  nar,  des  Oifleaux,  tom.  1.  112. 


2o3  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

to  be  fometimes  grey.  The  largeft  feathers  which 
are  at  the  extremities  of  the  wings  and  tail,  are  ufual- 
ly  white  ;  and  the  fmali  feathers  on  the  back  and  bel¬ 
ly,  are  a  mixture  of  black  and  white.  This  fowl  has 
no  feathers  on  the  fides  of  the  thighs,  nor  under  the 
wings.  That  half  of  the  neck  which  is  next  to  the 
body  is  covered  with  fmaller  feathers  than  thofe  on 
the  belly  and  back,  and  like  them,  are  a  mixture  of 
white  and  black,  Thefe  feathers  are  peculiar  to  the 
©finch.  Other  birds  have  feveral  forts  ;  fome  of 
which  are  foft  and  downy,  and  others  hard  and  ftiong  : 
But  ?.imoft  all  the  feathers  of  an  oftrich  are  as  foft  as 
down,  and  utterly  unfit  to  ferve  for  flying,  or  to  de¬ 
fend  it  again  ft  external  injury.  The  webs  on  the 
•feathers  of  other  birds  are  broader  on  one  fide  than 
on  the  other,  but  in  thofe  of  the  oftrich  the  {haft  13 
exadily  m  the  middle.  As  the  wings  are  not  large 
enough  in  proportion  to  the  body,  to  raife  it  from  the 
ground,  they  ferve  as  fails  or  oars  to  cut  through,  or  im¬ 
pel  the  air,  and  add  great  fwiftnefs  to  their  feet, 
which  are  fhodden  with  a  horny  fubftance,  enabling 
them  to  tread  firmly  and  to  run  a  great  while  without 
hurting  themfelves.  The  head  and  the  upper  part  of 
the  neck  of  this  animal  are  covered  with  very  fine 
white,  fhining,  hairs  ;  with  fmali  tufts  in  fome  places* 
confifting  of  about  ten  or  twelve  hairs,  which  grow 
from  a  fmgle  fhaft  about  the  thick nefs  of  a  pin.  The 
wings  are  furnifhed  with  a  kind  of  fpur,  refembling 
ihe  quill  of  a  porcupine,  which  is  of  a  horny  fub¬ 
ftance,  hollow,  and  about  an  inch  long.  There  are 
two  of  thefe  on  each  wing,  the  largeft  of  which  is  at 
the  extremity  of  the  bone  of  the  wing,  and  the  other 
about  a  foot  lower.  The  neck  appears  proportiona- 

bly 


bly  more  (lender  than  that  of  other  birds  from  its  not 
being  covered  all  over  with  feathers. — The  bill  is 
(hort,  and  fhaped  fomewhat  like  that  of  the  duck. 
The  external  form  of  the  eye,  refembles  that  of  a  man, 
the  upper  eyelid  being  furmfhed  with  eyelafhes  which 
are  longer  than  thofc  on  the  lid  below.  The  tongue 
is  very  fhort  and  fmall. — The  thighs,  which  are  large 
and  plump,  are  covered  with  a  llefh  coloured  (kin 
which  appears  greatly  wrinkled.  Some  of  them  have 
a  few  fcattered  hairs  on  their  thighs,  and  others  are 
entirely  without.  The  legs  are  covered  with  fcalcs  ; 
and  the  ends  of  the  feet  are  cloven,  having  two  veiy 
large  toes  on  each,  which  are  alfo  covered  with  feales. 
The  toes  are  of  unequal  fizes  ;  that  on  the  in  fide  is 
the  largeft,  and  is  about  feven  inches  long,  including 
the  claw,  which  is  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  length, 
and  nearly  the  fame  in  breadth.  The  other  two  have 
no  claws,  and  do  not  exceed  four  inches  in  length, 

i 

Qftriches  are  inhabitants  of  the  defarts  of  Ara¬ 
bia,  where  they  live  chiefly  upon  vegetables  ;  lead  a 
facial  and  inotfenhve  life,  the  male  aborting  with  the 
female  with  connubial  fidelity.  Their  eggs  are  very 
large,  fome  of  them  meafuring  above  five  inches  in 
diameter,  and  weighing  twelve  or  fifteen  pounds. 
The  animals  are  very  polific,  laying  forty  or  fifty  eggs 
at  a  clutch. 

Ol  ail  animals  this  is  the  mod  voracious.  It  will 
devour  leather, grafs,  hair,  flones,  metals,  or  any  thing 
that  is  given  to  it  :  But  thofe  fuhftances  which  the 
coats  of  the  flomach  cannot  operate  upon,  pafs  whole. 

The  feripture  fpeaks  oftheoflrich  in  fevcral  places. 
Our  tranflators  have  generally  rendered  the  Hebrew 

S  2 


name 


sio  The  N  ATURAL  HISTOR  Y 


name  jaana/i,  owls**  Mofes  mentions  the  bird  among 
thole  wbofo  flefh  was  forbidden.-f 

iiie  Ileorew  words  knot  jaatia/t,  Job*,  xxx.  2g,  ren¬ 
dered  in  our  translation  companion  of  owls,  mean  daugh¬ 
ters  cj  vociferation .  J  Dr»  Shaw  was  an  ear  witnefs  to 
tne  hideous  noifes  which  o finches  made  in  the 
night  ;  s*  During  the  lonefome  part  of  the  nigh t,  fays 
that,  entertaining  traveller,  they  often  made  very 
doleful  and  hideous  noifes  ;  which  would  fame- 
times  be  like  the  roaring  of  a  lion,  at  other  times  it 
would  bear  a  nearer  resemblance  to  thehoarfer  voice  of 
other  quadrupeds,  particularly  the  bull  and  the  ox.  I 
have  often  heard  them  groan  as  if  they  were  in  the 
greateft  agonies.”^ 

This  bird  is  very  particularly  deferibed  in  the  book 
of  Job,  xxxix,  13—18.  An  amended  verfion  of  the 
pafTage,  with  remarks,  will  conclude  this  article. 

The  wings  of  the  ojlnch  vibrate  with  exultation . 

The  word  which  our  Englifh  bible  renders  peacock, 
is,  fays  Mr*  Scott,  one  of  the  Hebrew  names  of  the 
oftrich.  The  peacock  was  not  known  in  Syria,  Pah 
eftine,  or  Arabia,  before  the  reign  of  Solomon,  who 
£rfl  imported  it.  It  was  originally  from  India.  Be* 
Tides,  the  oftrich,  not  the  peacock,  is  allowed  on  ail 
hands  to  be  the  fubjeft  of  the  following  parts  of  the 
defeription.  Neither  is  the  peacock  remarkable  for 
its  wing,  but  for  the  beauties  of  its  tail  :  Whereas  the 

triumphantly 

*  Levit.  xb  16.  Deut.  siv.  1 5.  Job,  xxx.  29.  Ifai.  xiii.  21*  xxxiv, 
13.  xHi',  20  Jer.  I.  39.  Mic.  i.  8. 

The  Arabians  call  tl>e  bird  roams  :  A  word  notveiv  unlike  its 
Hebrew  name,  See  Heath’s  N.  Veriion  of  Job,  and  Shaw’s  Trav. 

•f  Levit.  xi.  16.  Deut.  x:v,  15. 

J  From  *  exclomarc,  cl  am  are  fortiterS  As  in  Exod.  xxxii.  s’>\ 

It  is  not  the  voice  of  them  that Jhout  {’JT’OVJ  for 
^  Trav.  fupJ.  p.  66. 


©F  THE  B  I  B  L  E. 


£x  a 


triumphantly  expanded ,  or  as  Dr.  Shaw  turns  it,£A<? 
cring  expanded  wing,  is  one  of  the  chara£lerillics  of  the 
oftrich.  (i  When  I  was  abroad,  fays  this  entertaining 
writer,  I  had  feveral  opportunities  of  amufing  myleif 
with  the  aflions  and  behaviour  of  the  oftrich.  It 
was  very  diverting  to  obferve  with  what  dexterity 
and  equipoife  of  body  it  would  play  and  frifk  about 
on  all  occafions*  In  the  heat  of  the  day,  particularly,  it 
would  flrut  along  the  funny  fide  of  the  houfe  with 
great  majefty.  It  would  be  perpetually  fanning  and 
priding  itfelf  with  its  quivering  expanded  wings ,  and 
Item  at  every  turn  to  admire  and  be  in  love  with  its 
own  fliadow.  Even  at  other  times,  when  walking  a- 
bout  or  refting  itfelf  on  the  ground,  the  wings  would 
continue  thefe  fanning  and  vibrating  motions,  as  if 
they  were  defigned  to  mitigate  and  affuage  that  extra¬ 
ordinary  heat  wherewith  their  bodies  feem  to  be  na~ 
turally  affe£led.5> 

g  Is  it  the pinion^  and feathers ,  of  the  fork  ? 

The  oflrich  prideth  herfelf  on  her  quivering  ex¬ 
panded  wing,  but  without  reafon  ;  fince  it  does  not, 
like  the  wing  of  the  fork ,  provide  for  the-  fecurity  and 
education  of  her  young, — Natural  affection  is  as  re¬ 
markable  in  the  fork  as  the  want  of  it  is  reprefented 
to  he  (ver.  16.)  in  the  oflrich. 

She  leavetk  her  eggs  on  the  ground. 

And  zvarmetk  them  in  the  dnfl , 

Sheforgetteth  that  the  foot  ?nay  critfi  them , 

And  that  the  zald  beafs  of  the  ftld  may  break  them. 

As  for  the  fork,  the  lofty  fir  trees  are  her  houfe  :  But  the 
improvident  oflrich  depofitetli  her  eggs  in  the  earth. 
She  buildeth  her  nefl  on  feme  fandy  hillock,  in  the 

moft 


212 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 


mofl  barren  and  folitary  recedes  of  the  defert  ;  ex- 
pofed  to  the  view  of  every  travaller  and  the  foot  of 
every  wild  bead.  She  fits  upon  her  eggs,  as  other 
birds  do  ;  but  then  fhe  fo  often  wanders,  and  fo  far 
in  fearch  of  food,  that  frequently  the  egg*  are  addle  by 
means  of  her  long  abfence  from  them.*  Leo  Afri- 
canus  fays,  they  lay  about  ten  or  a  dozen  at  a  time  : 
.but  Dr.  Shaw  obferves  that,  by  the  repeated  accounts 
which  he  received  from  his  conductors,  as  well  as 
from  Arabs  of  different  places,  he  had  been  informed 
they  lay  from  thirty  to  fifty.  He  adds,  «  we  are  not 
to  confider  this  large  collection  of  eggs  as  if  they  were 
all  intended  for  a  brood.  They  are  the  greated  part 
of  them  referved  for  food,  which  the  dam  breaks  and 
difpofeth  of  according  to  the  number  and  cravings  of 
her  young  ones.” 

She  kardeneth  htrfdj  again Jl  her  young  ones 

As  if  they  were  not  hers . 

Her  labours  art  in  vain,  for  want  of  for  (fight* 

Si  On  the  lead  noife,  (fays  Dr.  Shaw)  or  trivial  oc- 
cafion,  fhe  forfakes  her  eggs,  or  her  young  ones  :  To 
which  perhaps  fhe  never  returns  ;  or  if  fhe  does  it 
may  be  too  late  either  to  reftore  life  to  the  one,  or  to 
prcferve  the  lives  of  the  others.  Agreeable  to  tins 
account  the  Arabs  met  fometimes  with  whole  nefls  of 
thefe  eggs  undidurbea  :  Some  of  them  are  fweet  and 
good,  others  are  addle  and  corrupted  :  Others  again 
have  their  young  ones  of  different  growth,  according 
to  the  time,  it  may  be  prefumed,  they  have  been  fer- 
faken  of  the  dam.  They  (the  Arabs)  often  meet  with 
a  few  of  the  little  ones,  no  bigger  than  well  grown 
pullets,  half  ftarved,  draggling  and  moaning  about 

like 

f  Bochart  Hieroz.  p,  2,  p«  7.53. 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


213 


like  fo  many  didreffed  orphans  for  their  mother.  In 
this  manner  the  odrich  may  be  faid  to  be  hardened  a- 
gainf  her  young  ones ,  as  though  they  were  not  hers  j  her  la¬ 
bour,  in  hatching  and  attending  them  fo  far,  being  vain , 
without  fear ,  or  the  lead  concern  of  what  becomes  of 
them  afterwards.  This  want  of  affe&ion  is  alio  re¬ 
corded  Lament,  iv.  3.  the  daughter  of  my  people  is  become 
cruel,  like  of  riches  in  the  wilder nefs.”  Indeed  her  indif¬ 
ference  and  neglect  have  been  proverbial  in  all  ages. 

To  this  account  we  may  add,  when  fhe  has  left  her 
ned,  whether  through  fear  or  to  feek  food,  if  fhe 
light  upon  the  eggs  of  feme  other  odrich  Hie  fits  up¬ 
on  them,  and  is  unmindful  of  her  own. 

Bccaufe  GOD  hath  deprived  her  of  toifdom  : 

She  hath  no  portion  in  under  funding* 

Natural  affeflion  and  fagacious  inftinfl  are  the 
grand  inftruments  by  which  Providence  continueth 
the  race  of  other  animals  :  But  no  limits  can  be  fet  to 
the  w’ifdom  and  power  of  God.  He  preferveth  the 
breed  of  the  oft  rich  without  thofe  means,  and  even 
in  a  penury  of  all  the  neceft'aries  of  life. 

Thofe  parts  of  the  Sahara  (thedefert)  which  thefe 
birds  chiefly  frequent,  are  deditute  of  all  manner  of 
food  or  herbage  ;  except  it  be  fome  few  tufts  of 
coarfe  grafs,  or  elle  a  few  other  folitary  plants  of  the 
laureola ,  a  pocynum ,  and  fome  other  kind,  each  of 
which  is  deftitute  of  nourifhment,  and,  in  the  Pfalm- 
id’s  phrafe*,  even  wither eih  before  it  is  plucked .  So  that, 
conndering  the  great  voracity  of  this  camel  bird ,  it  is 
wonderful  not  only  how  the  little  ones,  after  they  are 
weaned  from  the  provifion  I  have  mentioned!',  fhould 
be  brought  up  and  nourifhed ;  but  even  how  thofe  of 

fuller 

5  Pfah  cx’x.  6.  f  Tbs  eggs* 


2 14  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

fuller  growth,  and  much  better  qualified  to  look  out 
for  themfelves,  are  able  to  fubfld.+,, 

the  time  fie  haughtily  effumes  courape 
She  fcorneth  the  horfe  and  his  rider . 

Ur,  Durell  juftifies  this  tranflation  by  obferving 
that,  the  oflrich  cannot  foar  as  other  birds,  and  there¬ 
fore  the  words  in  our  verfion  when  Jhe  lifteth  up  herfelf, 
cannot  be  right  :  Refides  the  verb  occurs  only 
in  this  place,  and  in  Arabic  it  fignifies,  to  take  courage^ 
and  the  like, 

ii  Notwithftanding  the  flupidity  of  this  animal,  its 
Creator  hath  amply  provided  for  its  fafety,  by  en¬ 
dowing  it  with  extraordinary  fwiftnefs,  and  a  fup- 
prifing  apparatus  for  cfcaping  from  its  enemy.  They, 
zohen  they  raife  themfelves  up  for  flight,  laugh  at  the  horfe 
and  his  rider.  They  afford  him  an  opportunity  only 
of  admiring  at  a  didance  the  extraordinary  agility, 
and  the  flateiinefs  likewife,  of  their  motions;  the 
richnefs  of  their  plumage,  and  the  great  propriety 
there  was  in  aferibing  to  them  an  expanded  quivering 
zoing .  Nothing  certainly  can  be  more  entertaining 
than  fuch  a  fight,  the  wings,  by  their  rapid,  but  un¬ 
wearied  vibrations,  equally  ferving  them  for  fails  and 
oars  ;  while  their  feet,  no  lefs  abiding  in  conveying 
them  out  of  fight,  are  no  lefs  infenlible  of  fatigued” 

OWL.  There  are  feveral  varieties  of  this  fpecies, 
all  too  well  known  to  need  a  particular  defeription. 
They  are  nofturual  birds  of  prey,  and  have  their  eyes 
better  adapted  for  difeerning  objefls  in  the  evening, 
or  twilight,  than  in  the  glare  of  day.  Dedined  to 
appear  by  night  only,  nature  feems  to  have  thought 

it 

*  Shaw’s  trav,  fupl.  p.  66»  Dr.  Shaw’s  txays 


OF  TH£  BIBLE. 


215 


it  unnccelTary  to  lavifh  on  them  any  beauties,  either 
of  form  or  plumage,  as  they  would  have  been  loll  to 
general  contemplation. 

Under  the  article  ojtrich  we  have  thewn  that  what 
our  tranflators  of  the  bible  have  rendered  owl  in 
feveral  places  fhould  have  been  rendered  the  cjlricfu 
In  Levit.  xi,  17.  Deut.  xiv.  16,  and  in  Pfal.  cii.  6. 
however,  they  have  rightly  interpreted  the  Hebrew 
word  cos ,  the  otvl.  Kimchi,  and’molt  of  the  older  in¬ 
terpreters,  may  be  brought  to  juftify  this  verfion. 
Bochart,  though  with  fome  hefitation,  thinks  it  ihe 
onocrotalus,  a  kind  of  pelican  :  But  M.  Michaelis,  in 
a  learned  difquifition  concerning  the  chos,  refutes 
him  and  vindicates  the  ancient  verfions. 

A  bird  of  this  kind,  called  the  great  owl ,  is  mention¬ 
ed  Levit.  xi.  17.  Deut,  xiv.  16.  and  Ifai.  xxxiv.  11. 
It  has  its  Hebrew  name  from  the  circumftance  of  its 
flying  abroad  in  the  twilight. — But  by  the  word  ren¬ 
dered  owl,  in  the  15th  verfe  of  the  fame  chapter,  a 
kind  of  ferpent  is  meant.  £~See  Serpent,  Sparrow .J 

OX.  The  male  of  horned  cattle  of  the  beeve 
kind,  at  full  age,  when  fit  for  the  plough.  Younger 
ones  are  called  bullocks . 

The  Jews  never  caflrated  any  of  their  animals  : 
Their  oxen  were  therefore  bulls  properly  fo  called. 

The  wild  ox ,  Deut.  xiv.  g,  Ifai.  li.  20.  is  probably 
the  buffalo  :  An  animal  confiderably  larger  than  the 

common  ox ;  ungraceful  in  its  appearance,  and  awk¬ 
ward  in  its  motions. 

It  is  a  fulicn,  malevolent,  fpiteful  creature  ;  being 
ofteu  known  to  purlue  the  unwary  traveller,  whom 

it 


J 


%iG  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

it  will  voluntarily  attack  with  great  fiercenefs.  Even 
in  its  tamer  Rate  it  is  violent  and  imtra&able.* 

PALM  TREE.f  7  his  tree,  fometimes  called  the 
date  tree,  grows  plentifully  in  the  Eaft.  Jt  rifes  to 
a  great  height.  The  (talks  are  generally  full  of  rug¬ 
ged  knots,  which  are  the  veftiges  of  the  decayed 
leaves  ;  for  the  trunk  of  this  tree  is  not  folid  like 
other  trees,  but  its  center  is  filled  with  pith,  round 
which  is  a  tough  bark  full  of  Prong  fibres  when 
young,  which,  as  the  tree  grows  old,  hardens  and  be¬ 
comes  ligneous.  To  this  bark  the  leaves  are  clofely 
joined,  which  in  the  centre  rife  ere£l,  but  after  they 
are  advanced  above  the  vagina  which  furrounds  them 
they  expand  very  wide  on  every  fide  the  ftem,  and 
as  the  older  leaves  decay,  the  (talk  advances  in  height. 
The  leaves  when  the  tree  has  grown  to  a  fize  for 
bearing  fruit,  are  fix  or  eight  feet  long;  are  very 
broad  when  fpread  out,  and  are  ufed  for  covering  the 
tops  of  houfes,  &c. 

The  fruit  grows  below  the  leaves  in  cluffers  :  And 
is  of  a  fweet  and  agreeable  tafte. 

This  tree  is  very  common  in  Paleftine.  Jericho 
is  fometimes  called  the  city  of  palm  trees.  Deut* 
xxxiv.  3.  2  Chron,  xxviii.  15. 

In  the  temple  of  Solomon  were  pilaflers  made  in 
the  form  of  palm  trees.  1  Kings,  vi.  29.  It  was 
under  a  tree  of  this  kind  that  Deborah  dwelt  between 
Ramah  and  Bethel.  Jud,  iv.  5.  To  the  fair,  flcur- 

ifhing, 

*  Shaw's  trav.  fupl.  p.  77. 

•f  Palma.  Rail  metb.  pi.  135.  But  Llnr.seus  makes  a  diftinfi 
genus  of  this  fpecies  cf  palm,  and  calls  it  phoenix,  which  is  the  Greek 
stame  for  it , 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


217 

ifhing,  and  fruitful  condition  of  this  tree,  the  Pfalm- 
ift  very  aptly  compares  the  votary  of  virtue  ; 

The  righteous  Jhall  JlouriJh  like  the  palm  tree  : 

Thofe  that  are  planted  in  the  houfe  of  the  Lord 
Shall  JlouriJh  in  the  courts  oj  Jehovah . 

They  Jhall  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  j 
They  Jhall  be  fat  and  flour  firing, 

PfaL  cii.  12,  13,  14. 
The  palm  is  crowned  at  its  top  with  a  large  tuft  of 
ipiring  leaves,  about  four  feet  long,  which  never  fall 
off,  but  always  continue  in  the  fame  flourifhing  ver¬ 
dure.  The  tree,  as  Dr.  Shaw  was  informed,  is  in  its 
greateft  vigour  about  thirty  years  after  it  is  planted  ; 
and  continues  in  full  vigour  feventy  years  longer, 
bearing  all  this  while,  every  year,  about  three  or  four 
hundred  pounds  weight  of  dates. 

The  trunk  of  the  tree  is  remarkably  flrait  and  lof¬ 
ty*  Jeremiah,  ch.  x.  g.  fpeaking  of  the  idols  that 
were  carried  in  proceflion,  fays  they  were  upright  as 
the  palm  tree.  And  in  point  of  llature  the  fpoufe, 
in  Cantic.  vii.  7.  is  compared  to  this  tree. 

A  branch  of  palm  was  a  fignal  of  vittory,  and  was 
carried  before  conquerors  in  the  triumphs  :  To  this 
allufion  is  made  Rev.  vii.  9,  and  for  this  purpofe  were 
they  borne  before  Chrifl  in  his  way  to  Jerufalem. 
John,  xii.  13, 

From  the  infpi Hated  fap  of  the  tree  a  kind  of  hon=* 
ey  is  produced  little  inferiour  to  that  of  bees.  The 
fame  juice,  after  fermentation,  makes  a  fort  of  wine 
much  ufed  in  the  Eaft.*  This  is  intended  by  the 
pong  drink ,  Ifai.  v,  11.  xxiv.  q.f  Theodoret  and 

#  Plln.  ].  14,  fee.  19.  and  1.  13.  c. 
t  See  the  notes  of  Sifhop  Lowth, 

T 


Chryfoftonj* 

9® 


.  >  *r-  ;  • 

■*  4-# 

,  > .  :■*&«.•/: 

■ 


si8  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

Chryfoflom,  on  thefe  places,  both  Syrians  and  unex¬ 
ceptionable  witnefles  in  what  belongs  to  their  own 
country,  conlirm  this  declaration. 

This  tree  was  formerly  of  great  value  and  efteem 
among  the  Ifraelites,  and  fo  very  much  cultivated  in 
Judea  that  in  after  times  it  became  the  emblem  of 
that  country,  as  may  be  feen  in  a  medal  of  the  em¬ 
peror  Vefpatian  upon  the  conquell  of  Judea  :  It  re- 
prefents  a  captive  woman  fitting  under  a  palm  tree, 
with  this  infcription,  JUDEA  CAPTA.  And  up¬ 
on  a  Greek  coin,  likewife,  of  his  fon  Titus,  ftruck 
upon  the  like  occafion,  we  fee  a  fhield  fufpended  up¬ 
on  a  palm  tree  with  a  vi&ory  writing  upon  it.  Pliny 
alfo  calls  Judea,  “  palmis  inclyta,”  renowned  for  palms . 

As  the  Greek  name  for  this  tree  fignifies  alfo  the 
fabulous  bird  called  the  phoenix,  fome  of  the  fathers 
have  abfurdly  imagined  that  the  Pfalmift  xcii.  12.  al¬ 
ludes  to  the  latter  ;  and  on  his  authority  have  made 
the  phoenix  an  argument  of  a  refurre&ion.  Tertul- 
Jian  calls  it  a  full  and  linking  emblem  of  this  hope. 555 

[See  Date,  j 

PANNAG.  Ezek.  xxvii.  10.  Some  have  thought 

.  O 

this  to  be  the  name  of  a  place  ;  and  perhaps  the  orig¬ 
inal  of  Phoenicia.  Taylor  renders  it  balfam.  I  am 
inclined  to  fuppofe  it  the  valuable  plant  which  Diof- 
corides  and  Pliny  have  defcribed  by  the  name  panax  : 
From  which  a  compofition  was  made  ferviceable  in 
very  many  difeafes.  Whence  panacea  became  the 
name  of  an  univerfal  medicine. 

PALMER  WORM. 

*  c<  Pleniflimum  atque  firmi/Iimum  bujus  fpei  fpecimen.”  De 
i-efs.  c.  13.  See  alfo  Clement,  ad  Corinthos.  id.  conft.  apoft.  !.  5. 
e.  8.  Cyii!.  catec.  18.  Epiph.  in  anc«?r.  fee,  80.  id.  phyf.  c.  11. 
jL&b rof.  de  Ed.  refs, 


©F 


the  BIBLE, 

PALMER  WORM.  A  kind  of  catterpillar  (fome 
lay  loculi)  the  Hebrew  name  of  which  comes  iiom 
a  Chaldee  root  fignifying  to  cut  of,  referring  to  its 
biting  off  the  leaves  of  the  trees. 

PANTHER .  An  animal,  fometimes  miftaken  by 
naturalifts  for  the  tyger  ;  and  indeed  it  approaches 
next  to  it  in  fize,  in  beauty,  in  cruelty,  and  in  its  gen¬ 
eral  enmity  to  the  animal  creation.  It  is  however 
fpotted,  and  not  (freaked  like  the  tiger  ;  in  which 
particular  that  animal  differs  alfo  fiom  the  leopard, 
and  mod  of  the  inferiour  ranks  of  this  mifchievous 
family. 

M.  Majus,  who  adopts  the  fentiment  of  M.  Mei- 
boom,  fays  that  this  creature,  and  not  the  leopard,  is 
the  animal  referred  to  in  Holea  xiii.  7. 

PAPER  REED.  A  kind  of  bull  rufh,  growing 
on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  on  the  (ides  of  the  Jordan, 
and  in  feme  lakes  in  Ethiopia.  It  has  a  triangular, 
tapering,  flalk  ;  about  ten  or  twelve  feet  high  ;  of  a 
vivid  green.  The  Egyptians  applied  it  to  (everal 
ufes  ;  as  to  make  bafkets,  little  boats  to  fwim  upon 
the  Nile,  ropes,  &c.  And  of  the  thin  lamina  of  the 
bark  paper  was  afterwards  made. 

It  was  of  this  reed  that  the  little  ark  was  made  in 
which  the  parents  of  Mofes  expofed  him  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nile. 

PARD,  or  Leopard.  This  animal  is  like  the  lion, 
but  is  fmaller  and  has  a  fpotted  (kin.  It  is  remarkable 
for  its  fwiftnefs.  It  lies  in  ambufh,  and  leaps  nimbly 
upon  its  prey.  Daniel  compares  the  thii  d  monarchy  to 

this 


a2°  •  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

lh,s  beaft-  And  indeed  Alexander,  who  railed  i(,  over, 
came  Darius,  and  gained  his  other  conquefls,  with  a 

wonderful  rapidity.  To  which  it  might  be  added,  that 
the  fpots  of  this  animal  marked  out  the  different  peo. 
pie  of  whom  Alexander  formed  his  empire. 

[See  Lcopayd.~\ 

PARTRIDGE.  A  bird  whofe  Hebrew  name  is 
kore.  Bochart  and  Le  Clerc  prove  it  to  be  the  wood¬ 
cock,  mentioned  1  Sam.  xxvi,  20.  Jerem.  xvii.  n. 

[See  Woodcock, J 

PEACOCK.  A  bird  very  generally  known  :  Dif- 
tinguifhed  by  the  length  of  its  tail,  and  the  brilliant 
ipots  with  which  it  is  adorned  ;  and  which  it  difplays 
with  ail  the  feeming  vanity  of  a  conceited  beauty. 
It  is  noted  alfo  for  the  deformity  of  its  legs,  for  the 

horrid  fcream  of  its  voice,  and  for  its  infaliable 
gluttony. 

Bochart  has  fhewn  in  a  long  did  ertation  that  the 
.Hebrew  word  thoucim ,  denotes  peacocks;  and  that 
this  tranflation  is  jollified  by  the  Chaldee,  Syriac, 
Aiabic,  and  Latin  verfions  ;  and  is  fo  underftood  by 
moft  of  the  learned  men  among  the  Jews. 

India  firfl  gave  us  peacocks;  and  we  are  allured 
that  they  are  flill  found  in  vaft  flocks,  in  a  wild  flate, 
in  the  iflands  of  Ceylon  and  Java.  So  beautiful  a 
bird  could  not  be  permitted  to  conti  nue  long  at  liber¬ 
ty  in  its  diflant  retreat;  for  fo  early  as  the  days  of 
Solomon  we  find  apes  and  peacocks  among  the  arti¬ 
cles  imported  in  his  Taifhifii  navies.  1  Kings,  i.  20. 

A  monarch  fo  converfant  in  every  branch  of  natural 
hiflory  would  certainly  inflruTl  li is  officers  to  collect 
every  curiofity  in  the  countries  they  vifited. 


ALlian 


©  F  THE 


BIBLE, 


2  2*1 


^Elian  relates  that  they  were  brought  into  Greece, 
from  fome  barbarous  country,  and  were  rarities  held 
In  fuch  edimation  that  a  male  and  female  were 
valued  at  Athens,  at  a  fum  which  would  be  above 
forty  pounds  of  our  money.  When  Alexanaet  was 
in  India,  we  are  told  he  found  vad  numbers  of  pea¬ 
cocks  on  the  banks  of  the  Hyarotis,  and  was  fo  pleaf- 
ed  with  their  beauty  as  to  order  a  fevcre  punifhment 
on  any  who  fhould  kill  or  didurb  them.  When  this 
bird  was  fir (l  introduced  amongd  the  Greeks  they 
were  fo  druck  with  the  beauty  of  it  that  every  perlon 
paid  a  dated  price  for  feeing  it  ;  and  feveral  people 
came  from  Lacedemon  and  Thedaly  merely  to  fatisfy 
their  curiohty. 

The  word  rendered  peacock  in  our  Englifh  verfion 
of  Job,  xxxix.  12.  fhould  have  been  ojirick . 

PEARL.  A  hard,  white,  fhining,  body  ;  ufually 
roundifh,  found  in  a  fhell  fifh  refembling  an  oyfter. 

The  oriental  pearls  have  a  fine  polifhed  glofs, 
and  are  tinged  with  an  elegant  blufft  of  red.  They 
are  edeemed  in  the  Ead  beyond  all  other  jewels. 

The  wordpeninim,  tranflated  rubies,  Job,  xxxviii.  i3. 
Prov.  viii.  n.  xxxi.  io.  and  Lain.  iv.  7.  fhould  have 
been  rendered  pearls:  Butin  Job,  xxviii.  18.  where 
all  the  various  precious  dones  are  mentioned,  the 
tranflator  feemed  necefiitated  to  render  it  rightly. 
Mr.  Bruce  fpeaks  of  a  fhell  fifh  in  the  Red  Sea, 
which  retains  the  name  pinna ,  from  which  they  ob¬ 
tain  a  mod  beautiful  pearl. 

PELICAN.*  A  very  remarkable  aquatic  bird,  of 
the  fize  of  a  large  goofe.  Its  colour  is  a  greyifh 

T  2  white, 

*  The  Hebrew  word  rightly  tranflated  -pelican,  Pfal.  cii.  6.  and 
-Levit.  x\.  18,  Is  tendered  cormorant ai«  xxxiv.  iz,  and  Zeph.  ii.  24.. 


1 


222  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

white,  except  that  the  neck  looks  a  little  yellowifh 

-r"d  u‘n  m'ddle  of  the  back  feathers  are  blackifh’ 
j  ae  1  ls  long,  and  hooaed  at  the  end,  and  has  un- 
Uei,  U  a  ax  ™e®brane,  extended  to  the  throat,  which 
makes  a  bag  or  lack,  capable  of  holding  a  very  large 
quantity.  Feeding  her  young  from  this  bag,  'has  fo 
much  the  appearance  of  feeding  them  with  her  own 
io^d,  t!j(.t  itcaufed  this  fabulous  opinion  tobe  propa¬ 
gated,  and  made  the  pelican  an  emblem  of  paternal, 

as  the  ftork  had  before  been  chofen,  more  iultly.  of 
filial  affe£lion. 

The  voice  of  this  bird  isharfh  and  diffonant  ;  which 
iome  fay  refembles  that  of  a  man  grievoufly  com¬ 
plaining,  David  compares  his  groaning  to  it.  Pfal. 
ciu  7.  The  Hebrew  word  kaath,  which  occurs 
leveral  times  in  fcnpture  as  the  name  of  a  bird,  is 
nere  tranflated  by  the  Septuagint,  Apollinaris,  the  V ul- 
gate,  and  Jerorn,  the  pelican  j  but  elfewhere,  by  the 
iafl  of  them,  the  onocrotalus  ;  which  is  called  lo  by  the 
Greeks,  and  by  the  Arabians  the  <z vater  camel:  from  its 
loud  and  harfh  noife.  Sir  George  Wheeler,  in  his 
journey  into  Greece*,  defciibes,  from  his  owninfpec- 
tion,  a  bird  which  we,  as  he  fays,  call  the  pelican, 
and  the  modern  Greeks  toubana ;  and  which  Mr. 
Spon  thought  the  onocrotalus .  It  may,  I  imagine, 
have  that  name  from  the  word  raScc,  the  fame  in 
modern  Greek  with  the  Latin  tuba *  with  reference 
to  the  noife  it  makes  ;  as  the  bittern  is  obferved  by 
Bochart  to  be  called  in  Italian,  on  the  fame  account, 
irombcnOi  from  the  found  of  a  trumpet.  Bochart 
thinks  that  the  onocrotalus  may  rather  be  the  cos, 
'which  occurs  in  the  verfeof  the  Pfalmift  ;  and  confe- 


p.  304. 


223 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 

quently  that  fome  other  bird  is  meant  by  kaath .  But, 
as  his  explanation  of  the  word  cos  does  not  leem  luffi- 
ciently  fupported,  I  fee  no  neceffity  of  departing  from 
the  ancient  verfions  above  mentioned.  Mr,  Merrick 
has  therefore  retained  the  word  pelican  in  his  tranf- 
lation  of  the  paffage,  and  fays  that  he  does  it  with  the 
more  confidence  as  it  has  in  our  language  been  appli¬ 
ed,  by  writers  of  great  note,  to  the  onocrotalus  :  And 
that  it  was  antiently  fo  applied  (which  circumftance 
may  peihaps  reconcile  Jerom’s  different  verfions  of 
kaath )  is  allowed  by  Bochart  himfelf*,  who  quotes 
Oppian’s  cxiutica ,  of  which  a  Greek  paraphrafe  is  ex¬ 
tant,  for  the  ufe  of  the  word.  Mr.  Ray,  in  his  na¬ 
me  nclai  or  clafficus ,  fays  that  the  onocrotalus  is  now  ac¬ 
knowledged  to  be  a  far  different  bird  from  the  bit¬ 
tern,  with  which  fome  moderns  have  confounded  it, 
and  to  be  that  which  we  call  in  Englifh  the  pelican. f 
Haffelquiil  gives  an  account  of  this  bird  under  the 
name  of  pekeanus  onocrotalus, \  Profeffor  Michaelis 
thinks  the  fame.§  If  the  name  pelican  ftri&ly 
means  the  fpoonbill ,  which,  as  we  may  collect  from  this 
learned  writer's  words,  is  the  opinion  of  foreign  na¬ 
tural  ifts,  and  not  the  onocrotalus ,  it  may  be  neceffary 
to  obviate  a  difficulty  railed  by  Bochart,  who  thinks 
that  the  bird  mentioned  by  the  Pfalmift  ought  to  be 
a  clamourous  bird,  but  finds  no  account  of  noife 
made  by  the  pelican.  Dr.  Hill  fays  that  the  fpoonbill 
is  as  common  in  fome  parts  of  the  Low  Countries  as 
rooks  are  in  England,  and  makes  more  noife .  I  would 

alfo 

*  Hieroz,  p.  2.  1.  2.  c.20. 

t  See  Likewise  Sir.  T.  Brown’s  Vulg.  er.  5.  1.  Willoughby,  or- 
nith.  b.  3.  fee.  2.  c.  1. 

%  Irav.  p.  208.  quoting  Lin.  fyft.  nat.  p»  132.  fi,  I, 

§  Recueil  des  queftions,  &c,  CL100. 


224  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

alfo  juft  obfcrve  that,  though  a  confiderable  number 
o  ancient  interpreters,  quoted  above,  give  us  the  pe- 
lican  in  this  text  in  Pfalms,  M.  Michaelis  feemsmif- 
taken  in  adding  to  their  authority  that  of  Aquila: 
Neither  Montfaucon’s  hexapla  nor  Tromius,  di- 
'eft  us  to  any  text  in  which  Aquila  has  tranflated 
t  e  word  kaath .  As  the  kaath  feems  to  be  a  wa¬ 
ter  bird,  it  may  be  afked  £  why  is  it  faid  to  inhabit 
the  del  art,  which  maybe  fuppofed  deftitute  of  water  ? 
To  this  Bochart  anfwers,  that  all  defarts  are  not  fo  ; 
as  three  lakes  are  placed  by  Ptolemy  in  the  inner 
parts  of  Marmarica,  which  are  extremely  defart,  and 
the  Israelites  are  faid  to  have  met  with  the  waters  of 
Marah  and  the  fountains  of  Elim  in  the  defarts  of  A- 
rabia,  £xod.  xv.  23,  27.  We  may  add  that  in  a  paf- 
fage  of  Jfidore*  the  pelican  is  faid  to  live  in  the  foli- 
tudes  of  the  river  Nile  :  Which  circumftance  well  a- 
grees  with  Dr.  Shaw’s  fuppofitionf  that  the  prophet 

Amos  might  with  fufficient  propriety  call  the  Nile  a 
river  of  the  zvildernefs .J 

PIGEON.  A  dove.  They  build  in  various  fixa¬ 
tions.  Such  as  frequent  the  woods,  &c.  are  called 
turtles,  flock  doves,  wild  pigeons.  They  have  a 
flrong  wing  and  fly  very  fwift.  There  was  a  vaft 
plenty  of  them  which  made  them  very  cheap  in  the 
land  of  Canaan. 

PINE  TREE.  A  tree  fufficiently  known,  and  of 
the  nature  of  the  fir  tree.  Mention  is  made  of  this 
tree  in  Ifai.  xli.  19.  lx.  13.  and  in  Nehem.  viii.  15. 

PITCH, 

*  Lib.  12.  c,  7.  quoted  in  Martinius’s  Lexic.  Philolog. 
f  T rav.  p.  28S.  ana  290.  ed,  28. 
t  See  Merrick’s  Annot.  on  Pfal.  cii.- 


225 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 

PITCH.  A  kind  of  rofin.  [See  Bitumen .] 

PLANE  TREE.*  This  tree  grows  naturally  in  A- 
fia,  where  it  becomes  very  large  :  The  item  is  tall, 
erefl,  and  covered  with  a  fmooth  bark  which  annual¬ 
ly  falls  off.  The  branches,  which  fpread  wide,  are 
furnifhed  with  large  leaves.  So  that  it  affords  a  de¬ 
lightful  /hade,  and  is  planted  for  that  purpof  e. 

The  leptuagint  and  St.  Jerom,  render  the  Hebrew 
word  thamar ,  Gen.  xxx.  37.  the  plane  tree  :  But  mo¬ 
dern  interpreters,  who  follow  the  Rabbins,  make  it 
the  chcfnut.  And  the  Ixx.  tranllate  the  fame  word 
the  fir  tree ,  in  Ezek.  xxxi.  8. 

It  may  be  fuppofed  that  the  word  thachnor  is  from 
the  Hebrew  thamar ,  in  the  Chaldee  dmar  to  admire . 
1  Kings,  ix.  18.  So  Tadmoris  called  by  the  Greeks 
Palmyra,  from  the  palm:  a  name  importing  admirable  or 
tjlimable . 

1 

POMEGRANATE.^  A  low  tree,  growing  very 
common  in  Palefiine,  and  other  parts  of  the  Ealt.  Its 
branches  are  very  thick  and  bufhy  ;  Some  of  them 
are  armed  with  fliarp  thorns.  They  are  garrrifhed 
with  narrow  fpear  fhaped  leaves.  Its  flowers  are  of 
an  elegant  red  colour,  refembling  a  role.  It  is  chiefly 
valued  for  the  fruit,  which  is  as  big  as  a  large  apple, 
is  quite  round,  and  has  the  general  qualities  of  other 
fummer  fruits,  allaying  heat  and  quenching  third. 
Th ejorm  of  this  fruit  was  fo  beautiful  as  to  be  hon¬ 
oured  with  a  place  at  the  bottom  of  the  High  Priefl’s 
robe  ;  Exod.  xxviii.  33.  and  was  the  principal  orna¬ 
ment  of  the  {lately  columns  of  Solomon’s  temple.  A 

fedtion 

*  Piatanus  orientalis,  foliis  palmatis.  HorC.  Cliff  447, 

f  Punica.  Tournef.  inft.  R.  H,  633.  tab.  407.  Lin.  gen. plant.  544. 


226  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

fe&ion  of  the  apple  gives  a  fine  refemblance  of  a  beau¬ 
tiful  cheek.  Cantic.  iv.  3.  The  mfide  is  full  of 
tmall  kernels  replenifhed  with  a  generous  liquor.  In 
fhort,  there  is  fcarcely  any  part  of  the  pomegranate 
which  doth  not  delight  and  recreate  the  fenfes. 

PULSE.  Is  a  term  applied  to  thofe  grains  or  feeds 
wnich  are  gathered  by  the  hand,  and  grow  in  pods, 
as  beans,  peas,  vetches,  &c. 

PTGARG,  An  animal  fpoken  of  in  Deut.xiv.  5. 
by  the  name  of  difon,  which  fignifies  literally  white  but¬ 
tocks,  Bochart  thinks  it  the  antelope.  But  Dr.  Shaw 
proves  tt  to  be  the  animal  called  lidmee  in  Africa,  and 
jirepjictros  and  addace  by  the  ancients.  It  is  in  fhape 
and  colour  exadlly  like  the  antelope,  only  of  twice 
its  bignefs,  being  of  the  fize  of  our  roe  buck,  with 
horns  fometimes  two  feet  long.* 

QUAIL.  A  bird  about  half  the  fize  of  a  partridge. 
The  length  is  feven  inches  and  an  half.  The  feath¬ 
ers  of  the  head  are  black,  edged  with  rufty  brown. 
The  crown  of  the  head  is  divided  by  a  pale  yellow 
line,  beginning  at  the  bill,  and  extending  to  the  back  ; 
above  each  eye  there  is  another  line  of  the  fame  co¬ 
lour.  The  chin  and  throat  are  whitifh  :  The  breaft 
is  of  a  pale  yellowifh  red,  fpotted  with  black.  The 
fcapular  feathers,  and  thole  on  the  back,  are  marked 
witr.  a  long  pale  yellow  line  in  the  middle,  and  with 
iron  coloured  and  black  bars  on  the  fiaes.  The  cov¬ 
erts  of  the  wings  are  of  a  reddilh  brown,  elegantly 
barred  with  paler  lines,  bounded  on  each  fide  with 
black.  The  tail,  which  confilts  of  twelve  fhort  feath- 

ers, 

*  s  T rav.  p.  243*  an^  fuppl.  76, 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


227 

ers,  is  barred  with  black  and  very  pale  brownifh  red. 
The  legs  are  of  a  palifih  hue.  In  its  habits  and  na¬ 
ture  it  refembles  all  other  of  the  poultry  kind,  except 
that  it  is  a  bird  of  paftage. 

It  is  laid  that  God  gave  quails  to  his  people  in  the 
wildernefs  upon  two  occafions.  Fir  ft  within  a  few* 
days  after  they  had  palled  the  Red  Sea,  Exod.  xvi. 
3 — 13.  The  fecond  time  was  at  the  encampment  at 
the  place  called  in  Hebrew,  Kibroth  Hataavah ,  the 
graves  of  luft,  Numb.  xi.  32.  Pfal.  cv.  40.  Beth  of 
thefe  happened  in  the  fpring  when  the  quails  palled 
from  Afia  into  Europe.  They  are  then  to  be  found 
in  great  quantities  upon  the  coafis  of  the  Red  Sea 
and  Mediterranean.  God  caufed  a  wind  to  arife 
that  drove  them  within  and  about  the  camp  of  the 
Ifraelites  :  And  it  is  in  this  that  the  miracle  confifts, 
that  they  were  brought  fo  feafonably  to  this  place  and 
in  fo  great  number  as  to  furnifh  food  for  above  a  mil¬ 
lion  of  perfons  for  more  than  a  month. 

The  Hebrew  word  Jhalav  fignifies  a  quail,  by  the  a- 
greement  of  the  ancient  interpreters.  And  the  Chal¬ 
dee.  Syriac,  and  Arabic  languages,  call  them  nearly  by 
the  fame  name.  The  feptuagint,  Jofephus,  and  all 
the  commentators  both  antient  and  modern,  under- 
iland  it  in  the  fame  manner.  But  Ludolfus*  has  en¬ 
deavoured  to  prove  that  a  fpecies  of  lotuft  is  fpoken  of 
by  Mofes.  Dr.  Shawt  anfwers,  that  the  holy  Pfalm- 
ill,  in  deferibing  this  particular  food  of  the  Ifraelites, 
by  calling  the  animals  feathered  fowls ,  entirely  confutes 
this  fuppofition.  And  it  fhould  be  recolle&ed  that 
this  miracle  was  performed  in  compliance  with  the 
wifh  of  the  people  that  they  might  have  JleJk  to  eat. 

I  fhall 

*  Comment,  ad  Hid.  y^thiop.  p.  i63. 

t  Trav.  p.  1S9,  %i.  edit. 


TCfc *  .*'> 

Wi: 


2 28  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

1  fhall  fubjoin  another  authority  which  Ludolfus  him- 
fclf  was  defirous  of  confulting,  as  it  is  produced  by 
Mr.  Maundrell,  in  his  journey  from  Aleppo  to  Jeru- 
falem.  Ludolfus,  when  Mr.  Mandrell  vifited  him 
at  brancfort,  recommended  this  to  him  as  a  fubjefl  of 
inquiry  when  he  fhould  come  to  Naplofa,  (the  an¬ 
cient  Sicfeein)  where  the  Samaritans  live.  Mr.  Maun- 
dreli  accordingly  afked  their  chief  pried  what  fort  of 
animal  he  took  the  felavim  to  be  :  He  anfwered  that 
they  were  afortof  fowls  ;  and  by  the  defcription,  Mr. 
Maundrell  perceived  that  he  meant  the  fame  kind 
with  our  quails.  He  was  then  afked  what  he  thought 
of  locujls ,  and  whether  the  hiftory  might  not  be  better 
accounted  for  fuppoftng  them  to  be  the  winged  crea¬ 
tures  which  fell  fo  thick  about  the  camp  of  Ifrael. 
By  his  anfwer  it  appeared  that  he  had  never  heard  of 
any  fuch  hypothecs,* 

Haflelquid  mentions  a  kind  of  quail  of  the  fizs 
of  a  turtle  dovef  which  he  met  with  in  the  wildernefs 
of  Paleftine,  near  the  fhores  of  the  dead  fea  and  Jor¬ 
dan,  between  Jordan  and  Jericho,  and  in  the  defarts  of 
Arabia  Petrea,  which  he  thinks,  from  its  being  fo  com¬ 
mon  in  the  places  through  which  they  palled,  mull 
certainly  have  been  the  birdufed  by  the  Ifraeiites  for 
their  food  in  the  wildernefs. 

RABBIT.  See  Afikoko * 

RACHAMAH.  A  lelfer  kind  of  vulture .  cc  The 
point  of  its  beak  is  black,  very  fharp  and  (trong  for 

about 

%  See  a  more  particular  iliuftratlon  of  this  fubjedt  in  Harmer’s  ob- 
fervations  on  divers  paffages  of  Scripture,  and  Merrick’s  annotations 
on  Pfal.  cv. 

T  The  tetrao  coturmx  of  Linnaeus :  Tstrao  ij rat  lit  arum  of  Hafiel- 

^uift. 


about  three  quarters  of  an  inch,  it  is  then  covered  by 
a  yellow,  flefhy  membrane,  which  clothes  it  as  it  were 
both  above  and  below,  as  likewife  the  forepart  of  the 
head  and  throat,  and  ends  in  a  fharp  point  before, 
nearly  oppofite  to  where  the  neck  joins  the  bread  ; 
this  membrane  is  wrinkled,  and  has  a  few  hairs  grow¬ 
ing  thinly  fcattered  upon  the  lower  part  of  it.  It  has 
large,  open  noftrils,  and  prodigious  large  ears,  which 
are  not  covered  by  any  feathers  whatever.  The  bo¬ 
dy  is  perfectly  white  from  the  middle  of  the  head, 
where  it  joins  the  yellow  membrane,  down  to  the 
tail.  The  large  feathers  of  its  wing  are  black  ;  they 
are  fix  in  number.  The  lelfer  feathers  are  three,  of 
an  iron  grey,  lighter  towards  the  middle,  and  thefe 
are  covered  with  three  other  lelfer  Hill,  but  of  the 
lame  form,  of  an  iron  rufty  colour  ;  thofe  feathers 
that  cover  the  large  wing  feathers  are  at  the  top,  for  a- 
jout  an  inch  and  a  quarter,  of  an  iron  grey,  at  the 
bottom  white.  The  tail  is  broad  and  thick  above,  and 
draws  to  a  point  at  the  bottom.  It  is  not  compofed 
of  large  feathers,  and  is  but  little  longer  than  the 
point  of  its  wings.  Its  legs  are  of  a  dirty  white,  in¬ 
clining  to  flefh  colour.  It  has  three  toes  before  and 
one  behind,  armed  with  black  claws,  rather  flrong 
than  pointed  or  much  crooked.  It  generally  goes 
fingle,  and  oftener  fits  and  walks  upon  the  ground 

than  upon  trees.  It  deiightsin  the  me  ft  {linking  and 
putrid  carrion.*” 

It  is  mentioned  by  Mofes,  Deut,  xiv.  13.— Accord- 
nig  to  Horus  Apollo  it  was  the  emblem  of  parental  af- 
fcftioDo  And  its  namefeems  derived  from  the  Hebrew 

word 

*  Bruce*  167, 

V 


s 


-»• 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

word  recham ,  affe&ion  towards  progeny  ;  which  is  pro¬ 
perly  appropriated,  becaufe  this  bird  appears  peculiarly 
attached  to  her  young.  And  this  circumftance  is  par¬ 
ticularly  mentioned  Deut.  xxii.  11.  and  is  alfo  with 
great  propriety  alluded  to  in  the  firft  book  of  Kings, 
iii.  26.  Ifai.  xlix.  15.  and  Lament,  iv.  10.  Mr.  Bruce 
thinks  that  the  pafTage  in  Exod.  xix.  4.  has  a  peculiar 
elegance  if  read  in  this  way.  Our  Englifh  tranflator 
makes  God  fay,  46  ye  have  ften  what  I  did  unto  the  Eygp~ 
tians ,  and  how  I  bore  you  on  eagles  wings ,  and  brought  you 
unto  myfeljd *  Now,  if  the  exprcflion  had  been  really 
eagle,  the  Hebrew  word  would  have  been  nifr,  and 
would  have  fignified  nothing  ;  but  in  place  of  eagle 
the  vulture  (rachamah)  is  ufed,  as  exprefhve  of  ten- 
dernefs  and  love.  So  that  the  pafTage  will  run  thus, 
fay  to  the  children  of  Ifrael,  4  fee  how  I  have  punijked 
the  Egyptians ,  while  1  bore  you  up  on  the  wings  of  racha - 
ma9  (that  is,  of  parental  tendernefs  and  affedlion)  and 
brought  you  home  to  myfelfd — 44  It  is  our  part,  adds  Mr. 
Bruce,  to  be  thankful  that  the  truths  of  holy  Tcripture 
are  preferved  to  us  entire,  but  Hill  it  is  a  rational  re¬ 
gret  that  great  part  of  the  beauty  of  the  original  is 
loft.”  £See  y^ltureEg 

RAVEN.  A  well  known  bird  of  prey.  From 
its  feeding  upon  carrion,  See.  it  was  declared  unclean 
by  the  law  of  Moles,  Levit.  xi.  15.  When  Noah 
font  the  raven  out  of  the  ark  to  fee  if  the  waters  were 
returned  from  coveringthe  earth,  the  bird  did  not  re¬ 
turn  again,  as  it  could  live  on  the  floating  carrion. 
Gen.  viii.  6,  7. 

It  has  been  faid  that  when  the  raven  fees  its  young 
newly  hatched,  and  covered  with  a  white  down,  or  pen 

feathers, 


Feathers,  it  conceives  fuch  an  averfion  to  them  that  it 
forfakes  them,  and  does  not  return  to  its  neft  till  after 
they  are  covered  with  black  feathers.  It  is  to  this, 
they  fay,  the  Pfalmift  makes  allufion  when  he  fays, 
Pfal.  cxlvii.  9.  7  he  Lord  giveth  to  the  beajl  his  Joodr 

and  to  the  young  ravens  zvhich  cry  :  And  Job,  xxxviii, 
41.  j  Who  -prcvideth  for  the  raven  his  food  ?  When  his 
young  ones  cry  unto  COD,  zvandering  for  leant  of  meat • 
But  thofe  who  have  more  diligently  examined  the  na¬ 
ture  of  birds,  are  not  agreed  about  this  faff,  which 
indeed  has  too  much  the  air  of  a  fable  to  be  credited 
without  good  proofs,  Voffius  fays*  that  it  is  the  ex¬ 
treme  voracity  of  the  young  ravens  that  makes  the 
old  ones  (ometimes  forfaketheir  nefls  when  they  find 
themfelves  not  ableto  fatisfv  them.  Others  will  have 
it  that  this  proceeds  only  from  the  forgetfulnefs  of 
the  old  ravens,  that  they  think  no  longer  of  returning 
to  their  nelts,  in  order  to  feed  their  young.  Others 
imagine  that  Job  and  the  Pfalmifl  allude  to  what  is 
laid  by  fome  naturaliflsi  that  the  ravens  drive  out 
their  young  ones  early  from  their  nefls,  and  oblige 
them  to  feek  food  for  their  own  fuflenance,  The 
fame  kind  Providence  which  furnifhes  fupport 
to  his  intelligent  offspring  is  not  unmindful  to  the 
wants,  or  inattentive  to  the  defires,  of  the  meanelt  of 
his  creatures, 

**  i  ho,  the  young  ravens,  from  their  neft  exil’d^ 

Oa  hunger’s  wing  attempt  the  aerial  wild  ! 
e  Who  leads  their  wanderings,  and  their  feaft  fuppllea  ? 

To  God  afeend  their  impoi tuning  cries,”  J 

Chrifl  infiru&s  his  difciples,  from  this  fame  circum- 
fiance,  to  trufi;  in  thecare  and  kindnefs  of  heaven,  Ccw- 

fder 

♦VofT.de  idol.  1.  3.  c.  84.  and  Valef.  dc  fac.  phi!,  c.  55. 

Pliii,  1.  10.  c,  Jr„.  vElian,  h  11.  c.  49,  Arifl.  1.  c.  41*  Scott, 


23*  The  N  ATURAL  HISTOR  Y 

fidcr  the  ravens ,  for  tiny  neither  Join  nor  reap,  neither  have 
jlore  houfe ,  nor  fart?  ;  aha?  GODfeedeth  them .  fh/a>  wwc/i 
ye  than  the  fowls.  Luke,  xii.  24. 

Many  have  thought  that  the  prophet  Elijah  was  in 
his  retirement  fed  by  this  bird.  But  a  writer  in  the 
memoirs  of  literature,  for  April  1710,  proves  from  ma* 
nY  authors,  that  there  was  in  the  country  of  Bcthf- 
chan,  in  Deeapolis,  by  the  brook  Cherith  or  Car ith, 
a  little  town  called  Aorabi  or  Orbo  :  And  he  there¬ 
fore  explains  the  word  orbim,  which  in  1  Kings,  xviia 
4*  ^vs  tranflate  ravens ,  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  vil¬ 
lage,  fome  of  whom,  he  contends,  daily  carried  bread 
and  ffefh  to  Elijah,  who  was  retired  to  and  laid  in  a 
u  in  the  neiglioourhood*  And  he  fupports  this 
interpretation  by  the  opinions  of  Chaldee,  Arabic, 
*md  Jew  iff  writers. 

The  blacknefs  of  the  raven  has  long  been  proverbial* 
It  is  alluded  to  in  Cantic.  v.  11. 

Solomon,'  (peaking  of  the  peculiar  regard  and  ven¬ 
eration  due  to  the  worthy  perfons  and  falutary  in- 
iiruflions  of  parents,  obfefves  that  an  untimely  fate 
and  the  want  of  decent  interment  may  be  efpe&ed 
from  the  contrary  :  And  that  the  leering  eye  which 
throws  wicked  contempt  on  a  good  father,  and  info- 
lent  difdain  on  a  tender  mother,  fhall  be  dug  out  of 
the  unburied  expofed  corpfe  by  the  ravens  of  the  val¬ 
ley,  and  eaten  up  by  the  young  eagles.  Prov.  xxx,  17, 

REED.  A  plant  growing  in  fenny  and  watery 
places  ;  Very  weak  and  {lender,  and  bending  with 
the  lealx  breath  of  wind. 

HEEM .  The  Hebrew  name  of  the  rhinoceros,  but 
by  our  tran Haters  rendered  unicorn . 

•  *  •  •  v  «If 


€l  It  is  very  remarkable,  fays  Mr.  Bruce,  that  two 
fuch  animals  as  the  elephant  and  rhinoceros  fliould 
have  wholly  efcaped  the  defcription  of  the  facrcd 
writers.  Mofes,  and  the  children  of  Ilrael,  were  long 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  countries  which  produc- 
duced  them,  both  while  in  Egypt  and  in  Arabia, 
The  claffing  of  the  animals  into  clean  and  unclean, 
feems  to  have  led  the  legillator  into  a  kind  of  necefli- 
ty  of  defcribing,  in  one  of  the  claffes,  an  animal  which 
made  the  food  of  the  principal  Pagan  nations  in  the 
neighbourhood.  Confidering  the  long  and  intimate 
conne&ion  Solomon  had  with  the  fouth  coall  of  the 
Red  Sea,  it  is  next  to  impoflible  that  he  was  not  ac¬ 
quainted  with  them,  as  both  David  his  father,  and  he, 
made  plentiful  ufe  of  ivory,  as  they  frequently  men¬ 
tion  in  their  writings^  which,  along  with  gold,  came 
from  the  fame  part.  Solomon,  befides,  wrote  exprefT- 
ly  on  zoology,  and  we  can  fcarce  fuppofe  was  igno¬ 
rant  of  two  of  the  principal  articles  of  that  part  of 
the  creation,  inhabitants  of  the  great  continent  of  A- 
fia,  eafi  frcrn  him,  and  that  of  Africa  on  the  fouth, 
with  both  which  territories  he  was  in  conliant  corref- 
pondence. 

There  are  two  animals  named  frequently  in  fcrip- 
ture  without  naturalifts  being  agreed  what  they  are* 
The  one  is  the  behemoth ,  the  other  the  rtem  j  both 
mentioned  as  types  cf  flrength,  courage,  and  independ¬ 
ence  on  man  ;  and  as  luch  exempted  from  the  ordi¬ 
nary  lot  of  beads,  to  be  fubdued  by  him,  or  reduced 
under  Iris  dominion,  T  hough  this  is  not  to  be  taken 
in  a  literal  fenfe,  for  there  is  no  animal  without  the 
fear  or  beyond  the  reach  of  the  power  of  man  ;  we 
are  to  underftand  it  of  animals  poffeffed  of  flrength 

D  2  and 


234  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

and  fize  fo  fuperlative  as  that  in  thefe  qualities  other 
beafts  bear  no  proportion  to  them. 

The  behemoth,  then,  I  take  to  be  the  elephant  ; 
his  hiftory  is  well  known,  and  my  only  bufmefs  is 
with  the  mm,  which  I  fuppofe  to  be  the  rhinoceros. 
The  derivation  of  this  word,  both  in  the  Hebrew  and 
Tthiopic,  feems  to  be  from  ere&nefs,  or  landing 
flraight.  This  is  certainly  no  particular  quality  in 
vhe  animal  itfelf,  who  is  not  more,  nor  even  fo  much, 
«re&  as  many  other  quadrupeds,  for  its  knees  are  rath¬ 
er  crooked  ;  but  it  is  from  the  circumftance  and  man¬ 
lier  in  which  his  horn  is  placed.  The  horns  of  all 
other  animals  are  inclined  to  feme  degree  of  parellel- 
ifm  with  the  nofe,  or  os  frontis.  The  horn  of  the  rhi¬ 
noceros  alone  is  ereft  and  perpendicular  to  this  bone, 
on  which  it  hands  at  right  angles  ;  thereby  poffefiing 
a  greater  purchafe  or  power,  as  a  lever,  than  any  horn 
could  poflibly  have  in  any  other  pofition*. 

“  This  fituation  of  the  horn  is  very  happily  alluded 
to  in  the  facred  writings  ;  My  kornjhalt  thou  exalt  like 
the  horn  of  a  reem*  :  And  the  horn  here  alluded  to  is 
not  wholly  figurative,  but  was  really  an  ornament 
worn  by  great  men  in  the  days  of  vi&ory,  prefer¬ 
ment,  or  rejoicing,  when  they  were  anointed  with 
new,  fweet,  or  frefh  oil ;  a  circumftance  which  Da¬ 
vid  joins  with  that  of  erefling  the  horn.f 

“  Some  authors,  for  what  reafon  I  know  not,  have 
made  the  reem,  or  unicorn,  to  be  of  the  deer  or  ante- 
lopekind,  that  isofa genus,  whofe  very  chara&er isfear 
and  weaknefs,  very  oppofite  to  the  qualities  by  which 
the  reem  is  deferibed  in  feripture  :  Beftdes,  it  is  plain 

the 

#  Pfal.  xc’ii,  10. 

f  See  this  illuftrated  in  Bruce’s  tray,  y,  3,  p»  220.  4to, 


the  reem  is  not  of  theclafsof  clean  quadrupeds ;  and  a 
late  modern  traveller,  very  whimsically,  takes  him 
for  the  leviathan,  which  certainly  was  a  fifh.  It  is- 
impoflible  to  determine  which  is  the  fillieft  opinion 
of  the  two.  Balaam,  a  pried: J  of  Midian,  and  fo  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  haunts  of  the  rhinoceros, 
and  intimately  connected  with  Ethiopia,  for  they 
themfelvcs  were  Shepherds  of  that  country,  in  a  tranf- 
port,  from  contemplating  the  ftrengthof  Iirael  whom 
he  was  brought  to  curfe^  fays,  they  had  as  it  were  the 
firength  of  the  rtem*  Job  makes  frequent  allufion  to 
his  great  ftrength,  ferocity,  and  indocility.f  He  afks 
j  will  the  reem  be  willing  to  ferve  thee ,  or  abide  by  thy  crib  ? 
That  is,  ^  will  he  willingly  come  into  thy  (table,  and 
eat  at  thy  manger  P  and  again,  g  canji  thou  bind  the  reem 
with  a  band  in  the furrow ,  and  will  he  harrow  the  vallies  af¬ 
ter  thee  ?  In  other  words,  ^  can  ft  thou  make  him  to  go 
in  the  plow  or  harrows  ? 

<£  IfaiahJ  who  of  all  the  prophets  feems  to  have 
known  Egypt  and  Ethiopia  the  beft,  when  prophecy- 
ing  about  the  deftruflion  of  Idumea,  fays,  that  the  reem 
fhall  come  dovjn  with  the  fat  cattle  ;  a  proof  that  he  knew 
his  habitation  was  in  the  neighbourhood.  In  the 
fame  manner  as  when  foretelling  the  defolation  of 
Egypt,  he  mentions,  as  one  manner  of  effecting  it,  the 
bringing  down  the  fly  from  Ethiopia^  to  meet  the  cat¬ 
tle  in  the  defart  and  among  the  bufhes,  and  deftroy 
them  there,  where  that  infe£l  did  not  ordinarily  come 
but  on  command|],  and  where  the  cattle  fled  every 
year  to  fave  themfelves  from  that  infeft. 

“The  rhinoceros  in  Geez  is  called  arwe  harifh ,  and 
in  the  Amharic  auraris,  both  which  names  hgnify  the 

large 

*  Numb,  xxiii.  22.  +  Ch.  xxxix.  9,  to.  %  xxxiv.7. 

^  Cb.  vii*  18,39.  U  Exod.  viii.22. 


23s  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

Urge  wild  bead  with  the  horn.  This  would  feem  a$ 
if  applied  to  the  fpecies  that  had  but  one  horn.  On 
the  other  hand,  in  the  country  of  the  Shangalla,  and 
in  Nubia  adjoining,  he  is  called  girnamgirn ,  or  horn 
upon  horn,  and  this  would  feem  to  denote  that  he 
had  two.  The  Ethiopic  text  renders  the  word  reem, 
arzue  harijhy  and  this  the  Septuagint  tranflates  monoce- 
ros,  or  unicorn. 

“  If  the  Abyflinian  rhinoceros  had  invariably  two 
horns,  it  feems  to  me  improbable  the  Septuagint 
would  call  him  monoceros,  efpecially  as  they  mud 
have  feen  an  animal  of  this  kind  expoled  at  Alexan¬ 
dria  in  their  time,  then  firft  mentioned  in  hidory,  at 
an  exhibition  given  to  Ptolemy  Phiiadelphus  at  his 
acceffion  to  the  crown,  before  the  death  of  his  father a 
44  The  principal  reafon  for  trandating  the  word 
reem,  unicorn ,  and  not  rhinoceros,  is  from  a  prejudice 
that  he  mud  have  but  one  horn.  But  this  is  by  no 
means  fo  well  founded  as  to  be  admitted  as  the  only 
argument  for  edablifhing  the  exidence  of  an  animal 
which  never  has  appeared  after  the  fearch  of  fo  many 
ages.  Scripture  Ipeaks  of  the  horns  of  the  unicorn*, 
fo  that  even  from  this  circumdance  the  reem  may  be 
the  rhinoceros,  as  the  Afiatic  and  part  of  the  African 

rhinoceros  mav  be  the  unicorn. ”t 

* 

RHINOCEROS .  The  animal  of  which  we  have 
lad  fpoken.  In  fize  he  is  only  exceeded  by  the  ele¬ 
phant  ;  and  in  drength  and  power  is  inferiour  to  no 
other  creature.  He  is  at  lead  twelve  feet  in  length 
from  the  extremity  of  the  fnout  to  the  infertion  of 
the  tail ;  fix  or  feven  feet  in  height,  and  the  circum¬ 
ference 

^Oeut.  xxxiii.  17*  Pfa!.  xxii*  ZJ a 
t  Bruce’s  Srav.  v,  5. 


OF  THE  BIB  L  E» 


m 

ference  of  the  body  is  nearly  equal  to  its  length*  He 
is  particularly  diftmguifhed  fiorn  the  elephant  and. 
all  other  animals  by  the  remaikable  and  offenlive 
weapon  he  carries  upon  his  nofe.  This  is  a  very 
hard  horn,  folid  throughout,  directed  forward,  and 
has  been  feen  four  feet  in  length. 

His  body  and  limbs  are  covered  with  a  thick  black 
fkin,  which  he  cannot  contraCl.  It  is  only  folded  in 
large  wrinkles  on  the  neck,  the  fhoulders,  and  but¬ 
tocks,  to  facilitate  the  motions  of  the  head  and  legs  ; 
The  former  is  larger  in  proportion  than  the  elephant, 
the  latter  are  mafiive  and  terminated  into  large  feet, 
armed  with  three  great  toes,  or  claws.  His  eyes  are 
quite  fmall,  and  he  never  opens  them  entirely.  His 
fight  is  dull  But  he  poflefies  the  fenfes  of  hearing 
and  fmelling  in  high  perfection. 

The  upper  jaw  of  the  animal  projects  above  the 
lower  ;  and  the  upper  lip  has  a  motion,  and  may  be 
lengthened1  fix  or  feven  inches*  This  fsems  to  be  his 
only  organ  of  feeling.  It  is  equally  calculated  for 
ilrength  and  dexterity.  He  can  dire&  and  double  it 
in  turning  it  round  a  flick,  and  by  it  feize  the  bodies 
he  wants  to  bring  to  his  mouth* 

Without  being  carnivorous,  or  even  extremely 
wild,  the  rhinoceros  is  neverthelefs  fierce,  brutal,  and 
indocile.  This  fiercenefs  indeed  may  be  conquered, 
and  we  fee  with  a  moderate  degree  of  attention,  he 
is  brought  to  be  quiet  enough  ;  but  it  is  one  thing  to 
conquer  or  tame  his  fiercenefs,  and  another  to  make 
him  capable  of  inflru&ion;  and  it  feems  apparently 
allowed  to  be  his  cafe,  that  he  has  not  cap? city.  He 
muft  ever  be  fubjeCl  to  fits  of  fury  which  nothing 
will  calm.  When  angry3  he  leaps  forward  with  im- 

petuofily 


*3^  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

petuofity  to  a  great  height,  which  is  done  with  pro¬ 
digious  quicknefs*,  notwithstanding  his  heavy  ap¬ 
pearance  and  corpulence.  Thefe  are  circumftances 
which  did  not  efcape  the  notice  of  the  facred  writ¬ 
ers.!  They  do  not  herd  together,  nor  inarch  in 
troops  like  the  elephant  ;  they  are  more  wild,  more 
folitary,  and  indocile.  They  never  attack  men  un- 
lefs  provoked  ;  but  then  they  become  furious  and  arc 
very  formidable.  They  feed  upon  herbs,  thiftles, 
ihrubs,  the  young  branches,  and  the  bark  of  trees.— 
They  do  not  moleft  the  fmall  animals,  nor  fear  the 
large  ones  ;  but  live  in  peace  with  them  all,  even 
with  the  tiger,  who  often  accompanies  without  dar¬ 
ing  to  attack  them. 

They  are  of  the  nature  of  the  hog ;  blunt  and 
grunting,  without  fentiment  and  without  difcretion  : 
Inclined  to  wallowing  in  the  mire,  fond  of  damp  and 
marfhy  places,  and  feldom  quitting  the  banks  of  riv¬ 
ers.— Their  flefh  alfo  much  refembles  pork. 

Mr.  Bruce  has  very  particularly  defcribed  the  two 
horned  rhinoceros  of  Abyflinia.  His  mouth  he  de- 
fcribes  as  furnifhed  with  twenty  eight  teeth.  The 
upper  lip  he  allows  to  be  remarkably  large.  The 
fkin  is  always  fmooth,  excepting  when  flies  and  other 
troublefome  infetts  have  broken  it,  fo  as  to  produce 
puftles  ;  a  diftrefs  to  which  the  animal  is  very  liable. 
The  tongue  of  the  young  rhinoceros  is  fmooth  ;  but 
as  he  grows  old  it  becomes  very  rough.  The  anterior 
horn  is  round,  and  bends  flightly  back  at  the  point; 
behind  it  appears  the  fecond,  which  is  flat  and 
flraight  ;  and  behind  this  have  been  obferved  the 
rudiments  of  a  third. 

The 

#  Alluded  to  in  Pfal.  xxix.  6. 

*$•  Pfal.  xxii.  13,  zz.  Job,  xxxix.  9* 


OF  THE  B  I  B  L  E. 


~39 

The  manners  and  economy  of  this  fpecies  differ 
but  little  from  thofe  of  the  foimer.  But  the  bicorn 
has  been  more  accurately  obferved  than  the  unicorn. 
He  refides  almod  conftantly  in  deep  foreds.  He 
never  eats  hay  or  grafs.  Large  fucculent  plants, 
prickly  fhrubs,  the  branches,  and  even  the  trunks  of 
trees,  are  the  articles  of  food  which  he  prefers.  The 
ffrength  of  his  jaws  and  teeth  enables  him  to  break 
off  and  mafficate  the  thickeff  branches  of  the  hardefl 
and  toughed  trees.  But  the  forefls  of  Abyffinia  af¬ 
ford  trees  of  a  fofter  confiftency,  and  peculiarly  fuc¬ 
culent  ;  which  he  eats  in  preference  to  others.  His 
upper  lip  is  his  chief  inffrument  in  collecting  his  food. 
He  extends  and  twills  it,  fo  as  to  perform  with  it 
many  of  the  functions  which  the  elephant  performs 
with  his  probofcis.  After  dripping  a  tree  of  its 
branches,  a  rhinoceros  often  applies  his  horn  to  the 
trunk,  and  fplitt  ng  it  into  fo  many  lathes,  devours  it 
with  as  much  eafe  and  avidity,  as  an  ox  would  eat 
up  a  bunch  of  celery.  In  the  foreds  inhabited  by 
animals  of  this  fpecies,  there  appear  fometimes  trees 
divefted  of  their  leaves  and  branches,  fometimes  a 
trunk  divided  into  lathes,  a  part  of  which  have  been 
eaten,  and  another  part  left  for  a  future  repad,  and 
fometimes  fhort  dumps,  of  which  the  leaves,  branches, 
and  trunks  have  been  devoured.  The  horns  of  the 
rhinoceros  differ  greatly  in  the  preparation  of  his 
food;  he  often  leaves  a  part  of  a  horn  either  fixed 
in  a  tree,  which  he  has  in  vain  attempted  to  tear,  or 
lying  bende  it  on  the  ground.  The  fenhbility  of  the 
rhinoceros  in  this  part,  mud  render  fuch  an  accident 
as  the  breaking  of  a  horn,  if  not  fatal,  at  lead  ex¬ 
tremely  paintul  and  dangerous*  Mr.  Bruce  relates*. 

that 


#  Travels,  v.  93* 


r  ’ 

.  * 


*40  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

that  he  faw  a  rhinoceros  fo  affe&ed,  on  having  the 
po;nt  of  his  foremoft  h  >rn  biuken  off  by  a  rnufket 
b  i  ',  as  to  appear,  for  an  mftant,  abioiuteiy  incapaoie 
c  f  i'enf-*  and  motion. 

!  lowever  unwieldy  his  form,  the  rhinoceros  dif- 
4  ays  altonifhmg  (wiftnefs.  He  moves  with  a  fort 
of  trot  ;  quickening  his  pace  by  degrees,  as  he  runs. 
His  (peed  is  not  equal  to  that  of  a  fvvift  and  vigorous 
horfe  ;  but,  between  fpeed  and  cunning,  he  leidom, 
iuffers  a  hunter,  mounted  on  horle  back,  to  overtake 
him.  The  Hottentot  and  Caffrarian  hunters  are  accuf- 
iomed  to  fteal  upon  the  rhinoceros  when  aileep,  and 
gore  him  with  feveral  deep  wounds.  Alter  which, 
they  follow  his  footkeps,  even  for  feveral  days,  till 
he  drops  down  of  weaknefs,  or  dies  of  his  wounds. 
But  they  commonly  poifon  their  darts  immediately  ‘ 
before  the  entetprize  :  And  in  this  cafe,  the  animal 
does  not  long  furvive.*  As  he  moves  through  the 
foreft,  the  fmaller  trees  are  crufhed  under  his  weight, 
like  io  many  dry  reeds.  His  eyes  are  fo  fmall,  and 
his  light  fo  feeble,  that  he  fees  only  a  very  fhort  way 
before  him.  The  AbyJ/inians  purfue  him,  two  on  a 
horfe  ;  and,  as  he  feldom  looks  behinds  him,  com¬ 
monly  overtake  him  before  he  is  aware.  The  one, 
armed  with  a  fword,  then  drops  down  ;  and  cutting 
the  hams  of  the  rhinoceros,  the  vail  animal  falls  to 
the  ground,  alike  incapable  of  flight  and  of  refinance. 
Although  naturally  peaceable,  he  is  difpoied  as  well 
as  other  animals,  to  defend  himfelf  when  attacked. 
His  rage  is  impetuous,  and  generally  ill  dire£ted  ;  he 
Injures  himfelf  as  readily  as  an  antagonifl;  he  knocks 

his  head  againfl:  a  wall  or  manger  ;  {trikes  againfl  a 

-  •  tree 


*  Sparrman,  ii. 


tree  with  as  much  fatisfaflion  as  again  it  the  hunter 
who  attacks  him. 

It  may  be  naturally  conceived,  that  fo  large  an  ani¬ 
mal  as  the  rhinoceros  mufl  require  a  confiderable 
quantity  of  water  to  macerate  his  food.  The  trails 
of  country  which  he  inhabits,  are  interfperfed  with 
marfhes,  lakes  and  rivers*  The  diftrifl  of  the  Shan - 
galla,  the  favourite  abode  of  this  fpecies,  in  AbyJJinia, 
is,  for  fix  months  in  the  year,  deluged  by  conftant 
rains,  and  overfpread  with  woods  which  prevent  e- 
vaporation.  The  rhinoceros,  as  well  as  mod  other 
fpecies,  is  peftered  by  dies.  Being  deflitute  of  hair, 
he  is  peculiarly  Qxpofed  to  the  perfecution  of  thefe 
infeCts.  Nature  has  taught  him,  however,  to  roll  oc- 
cafionally  in  the  mire,  till  he  acquire  a  cruft  of  dirt, 
which  may  for  a  time  at  ieaft,  protedfc  him  from  their 
ftings.  But  this  dries,  cracks,  and  falls  off  in  pieces. 
The  flies  then  renew  their  attacks,  and  often  pierce 
his  fkin  ;  fo  that  his  body  is  at  length  covered  over 
wiih  puftules.  It  is  in  the  night  chiefly,  that  he  rolls 
in  the  mire;  and  the  hunters  often  fteal  on  him  at 
that  period,  while  he  is  -enjoying  one  of  his  favourite 
pleafures,  and  ftab  him  with  mortal  wounds  in  the 
oelly,  before  he  is  aware  of  their  approach.  By 
wallowing  in  the  mire,  he  often  gathers  reptiles  and 
infefts  upon  his  body  ;  fuch  as  millepedes,  fcoloperi* 
drae,  worms  and  fnails.* 

The  rhinoceros,  though  next  in  fize,  yet  in  docility 
and  ingenuity,  greatly  inferiour  to  the  elephant,  has 
never  yet  been  tamed,  fo  as  to  affift  the  labours  of 
mankind,  or  to  appear  in  the  ranks  of  war.  The 

Romans 


*  Bruce’s  Travels* 

w 


£42  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

Homans  introduced  him  on  the  amphitheatre,  and  op- 
pofed  him  to  the  elephant  :  It  is  even  pretended, 
that  he  appeared  no  unequal  match.  The  bear  was 
a  contemptible  antagonift  to  the  rhinoceros.  The  flefh 
of  this  animal,  though  by  no  means  a  delicate  difb, 
is,  with  the  Skangalla ,  and  a  great  part  of  the  inhabit¬ 
ants  of  lower  Abyffinia ,  a  principal  article  of  food. 
The  foies  of  his  feet,  confiding  of  a  griftly  fubftance, 
loft  like  the  foies  of  a  camel,  are  the  mod  delicate 
part.  The  red  of  the  flefh  is  faid  to  tade  like  pork  ; 
but  is  much  coarfer,  and  fmells  of  mu£k.  The  negro 
hunters  of  Abyjfinia  eat  it  without  fait.  The  hairs 
about  the  tail  are  fo  thick  and  ftrong,  that  with  ten 
of  them  a  whip  may  be  made,  which  will  draw  blood 
at  every  droke.  The  lkin  cut  into  thongs  forms  ex¬ 
cellent  whips.  The  horns  are  made  into  cups,  which 
have  been  fancied  to  a£l  as  antidotes  againdpoifons.  In 
Abyjfinia ,  the  handles  of  daggers  are  always  made  of 
the  horn  of  the  rhinoceros.  The  fecond  horn  is 
fcarce  ever  applied  to  any  ufe.  The  furface  is  fufeep- 
tible  of  a  perfefb  polifh;  and  beautiful  fnuff  boxes 
might  be  formed  of  this  material,  were  it  not  that  it 
is  a  fubdance  eafily  feral ched,  and  extremely  liable 
to  crack  or  fplinter. 

RICE,  A  plant  very  much  refembling  wheat  in 
its  fhape  and  colour,  and  in  the  figure  and  difpofi- 
Jtion  of  its  leaves  ;  but  it  has  a  thicker  and  dronger 
dalk.  Its  feed  is  extremely  farinaceous.  It  thrives 
only  in  low,  damp,  and  marfhy  lands,  when  they  are 
even  a  little  overflowed. 

It  has  been  wondered  why  rice,  which,  as  Dr.  Ar- 
buthnot  obferve?,  is  « the  food  of  two  thirds  of  man- 
>  '  kind,” 


op  the  BIB  L  E. 


243 

kind,”  fhould  never  have  been  enumerated  among  the 
grains  of  fcripture  ;  efpecially'  as  it  is  cultivated  in 
mod  Eaftern  countries,  and  at  prcfent  lo  much  a- 
bounds  in  Egypt.  A  palfage  however  in  Ifai.  xxxiu 
20,  according  to  Sir  John  Chardin's  manufcript  note 
on  the  place,  exa&ly  anfwers- the  manner  of  planting 
rice  ;  for  they  fow  it  upon  the  water:  And  before 
lowing,  while  the  earth  is  covered  with  water,  they 
caufe  the  ground  to  be  trodden  by  oxen,  horfes,  and 
affes,  who  go  mid  leg  deep;  and  this  is  the  way  of 
preparing  the  ground  for  lowing.  As  they  fow  the 
rice  on  the  water,  they  tranfplant  it  in  the  water.* 

Dr,  Shaw  fuppofes  that  the  word  tranllated  ryec 
Exod.  ix.  qj,  fhould  have  been  rendered  rice .  The 

c* 

fame  word*  is  rendered  fitches ,  Ezek.  iv.  9. 

ROE.  The  fmalled  of  all  the  deer  kind,  being 
only  three  feet  four  inches  long,  and  fomewhat  more 
than  two  feet  in  height.  The  horns  are  from  eight  to 
nine  inches  long,  upright,  round,  and  divided  into 
three  branches.  The  body  is  covered  with  long  hair, 
the  lower  part  of  each  hair  is  a  Hi  colour,  near  the  end 
is  a  narrow  bar  of  black,  tipped  w  ith  afh  colour. 
The  ears  are  long  ;  their  infides  of  a  pale  yellow,  and 
covered  with  long  hair.  The  chell,  belly,  legs,  and 
infide  of  the  thighs,  are  of  a  ycllowiOi  white  ;  the 
rump  of  a  pure  white.  The  tail  is  very  Ihort. 

The  form  of  the  roe  buck  is  elegant,  and  its  mo¬ 
tions  light  and  eafy.  It  bounds  leeraingly  without 
effort,  and  runs  with  great  fwiftnefs.  When  hunted 
it  endeavours  to  elude  its  purfuers  by  the  mod  fubtle 
artifices  :  It  repeatedly  returns  upon  its  former  Reps, 
till,  by  various  windings,  it  has  entirely  confounded 

the 

*  Harmer’s  ©1>.  j,  v,  j.  p,  a3o-.  Lowth’s  notes  upon  Ifai.  p,  1 56, 


244  The  NATURAL  HIST  O  R  Y 

the  fcent.  The  cunning  animal  then,  by  a  fudden 
fpnng,  bounds  to  one  fide  ;  and,  lying  clofe  down  up¬ 
on  its  belly,  permits  the  hounds  to  pafs  by,  without 
offering  to  ffir. 

They  do  not  keep  together  in  herds,  like  other 
deer,  but  live  in  feparate  families*  The  fire,  the  dam, 

and  the  young  ones,  affociate  together,  and  feldom 
mix  with  others. 

It  may,  however,  be  queftioned  whether  this  ani¬ 
mal  was  a  native  of  thofe  Southern  countries  :  Pliny 
fays  that  it  was  not.*  The  Greek  name,  donas,  may 
as  well  be  underffood  of  the  gazel,  or  antelope,  which 
hs  very  common  all  over  Greece,  Syria,  the  Holy 
Land,  Egypt,  and  Barbary. 

It  may  be  further  urged  that  the  chara&er iffics  at¬ 
tributed  to  the  dorcas  both  in  facred  and  profane  hiffo- 
ry,  will  very  well  agree  with  the  gazel.  Thus  Ariflotle 
ucicribes  it  to  be  44  the  fmalleft  of  the  horned  ani¬ 
mals/'  as  it  certainly  is,  being  even  fmaller  than  the 
*02.  It  is  celebrated  as  having  fine  eyes  j  and  they 
am  io  to  a  proverb,  fhe  damfel  zchcfe  name  zoas  7'abi - 
tha,  which  is  by  interpretation ,  Dorcas ,  fpoken  of  A£l$, 
Lx.  36.  might  be  fo  called  from  this  particular  feature 
and  circum fiance.  Afahel,  likcwife,  is  faid,  2  Sam, 
*L  18.  to  be  as  Jzoijt  of  foot  as  the  tzebi  j  and  few  crea¬ 
tures  exceed  the  antelope  in  Iwiftnefs.  This  animal 
alfo  is  in  great  effeem  among  the  Eaflern  nations, 
for  food  ;  having  a  very  fweet  mufky  tafte,  which  is 
highly  agreeable  to  their  palates  ;  and  therefore  might 
well  be  received  as  one  of  the  dainties  at  Solomon’s 
table,  1  Kings,  iv»  23, 

If 

*  il  In  Africam  autem  nec  cfie  aprcs,  nec  cervos,  nec  copreas,  nes 
tufas.”  Lib.  8.  c.  58, 


oF  the  B  1  B  i  £. 


245 


If  then  we  lay  all  thefe  circumftances  together, 
they  will  appear  to  be  much  more  applicable  to  the 
gazel,  or  antelope ,  which  is  a  quadruped  well  known 
and  gregarious  j  than  to  the  roe,  which  was  either  not 
known  at  all,  or  elfe  very  rare  in  thofc  countries. 

Its  exquifite  beauty  probably  gave  it  its  name* 
which  fignifies  loveline/s .*  [See  Antelope.] 

ROSE.+  A  well  known  flower.  Tournefort 
mentions  fifty  three  kinds,  of  which  the  damafk  role 
and  the  rofe  of  Sharon  are  the  fined. 

From  the  Targum,  R.  David,  and  the  Arabic,  Cel- 
lius  concludes  that  the  flower  fpoken  of  in  Cantic, 
ii.  1.  and  Ifai.  xxxv.  1.  is  to  be  underftood  the  nar- 
ciffus. 

PvUBY.  A  beautiful  gem  of  a  crimfon  colour, 
fomewhat  inclining  to  purple,  Bochart  and  others 
fuppofe  the  word  we  have  thus  tranflated  to  mean 
■pearls*  -  [See  Pearls.~] 

RUE.  A  fmall  fnrubby  plant,  common  in  gardens. 
It  has  a  fliong  unpleafant  fmell,  and  a  bitterifh,  pen¬ 
etrating,  tafte.  * 

RUSH;’  A  plant  growing  in  the  water  at  the  fides 
of  rivers,  and  in  marlhy  grounds. 

Thefe  vegetables  require  a  great  deal  of  water: 
When  therefore  the  Nile  rofe  not  high  enough  for 
its  ufual  overflow,  they  perifhed  fooner  than  other 
plants.  This  is  furnifhed  by  Job.  viii.  11,  as  an  im¬ 
age  of  tranfient  profperity. 

RYE, 

See  Bochgrt  Hiercz.  v.  3,  1.  3,  c.  25. 
t  Rofa,  Tournsf.  inft.  R.H.  636.  tab<  40$,  V\n:  gen.  plant,  556. 

W  2 

u- 


246  The.  NATURAL  HISTORY 

4 

RYE.  A  common  grain.  But  the  word  thus  ren- 
tiered  in  our  Englifh  bibies  ftiould  have  been  called 

rice , 

SAFFRON.*  An  early  plant  growing  from  a 
bulbous  root,  whence  arife  (talks  bearing  a  blue  flow¬ 
er  ;  in  the  middle  of  which  flower  are  three  little  golden 
threads,  which  are  what  is  called  faffron  among  drug- 
gifts.  The  flower  is  more  generally  known  by  the 
name  crocus ,  whicn  is  fimilar  to  ccircos ,  or  cotcos ,  as  it 
is  called  in  Hebrew. 

SALT.  A  fubftance  well  known.  It  is  found 
fometimes  as  a  foflil,  but  the  common  fort  is  produc¬ 
ed  from  evaporated  fea  water.  For  its  feafoning  and 
preferving  qualities  it  has  in  all  ages  been  diftin- 
guifhed. 

God  appointed  that  fait  fhould  be  ufed  in  all  the 
facrifices  offered  to  him  :  Every  oblation  0}  thy  meat 
offering,  fnalt  thou  feafon  with  fait  :  neither  Jhalt  thou  Juj - 
Jer  the  fait  of  the  covenant  of  thy  God  to  be  lacking  from 
thy  meat  offerings:  with  all  thy  offerings  thou  Jhalt  offer 
fait.  Lev.  ii.  13.  This  perhaps  flgnified  that  incor¬ 
ruption  of  mind  and  nncerity  of  grace  which  are  ne- 
ceffary  in  all  thofe  that  would  offer  an  acceptable 
tribute  to  God.  And,  from  alluding  to  the  fait  of  the 
covenant ,  it  might  denote  that  communion  which  they 
had  with  God  in  their  exereifes- of  his  worfhip  •  fait 
being  a  fymbol  both  of  friendfhip  and  incorruption. 

In  2  Kings,  ii.  21.  the  prophet  Elifha,  being  de¬ 
ll  red  to  fweet'en  the  waters  of  the  fountain  of  Jeri¬ 
cho,  and  make  them  fit  to  drink,  required  a  new 
'veffel  to  be  brought  him,  and  fome  fait  to  be  put 

therein. 

*  Crocus.  Lin.  gen.  pi.  53,  Tourn.  inft,  R,  H.  350.  tab,  iSS,  1S3. 


of  the  BIBLE.  24^ 

therein.  They  followed  his  orders.  He  threw  this 
fait  into  the  fpring,  and  laid,  thus  faith  the  Lord ,  1  have 
healed  thefe  waters,  and  for  the  future  they  fhall  not  be  the 
occafion  either  of  death  or  barrenejs  :  So  the  waters  be¬ 
came  good  for  drinking,  and  left  all  their  former 
bad  qualities.  Naturally  the  fait  mull  only  have 
ferved  to  increafe  the  blackifhnefs,  or  bitternefs,  of 
this  fountain,  but  the  prophet  is  directed  to  make  ufc 
of  a  remedy  that  feemed  contrary  to  the  effc£l  which 
was  produced,  that  the  miracle  might  become  the 
more  evident. 

It  appears  from  Ezek.  xvi.  4.  that  heretofore  they 
rubbed  new  born  children  with  fait.  Some  think 
this  was  done  to  dry  up  the  humidity  that  abounds  in 
children  ;  and  to  ciofe  up  the  pores  which  are  then 
too  open.  Others  fay  that  fait  hardens  the  Ikins  of 
children,  and  makes  them  more  firm.  Others  think 
it  was  to  prevent  any  corruptions  that  might  proceed 
fiom  cutting  off  the  navel  firing.  Whatever  was 
their  end  in  it,  the  prophet  here,  in  a  continued  alle¬ 
gory,  deferibes  the  worthlefs,  helplefs,  and  delpicable 
condition  of  the  Jews  at  firff,  till  God  pitied  and 
helped  them. 

Chriff,  by  a  lively  and  elegant  metaphor,  Matth. 
v.  13.  tells  his  difciples  that  they  are  the  fait  of  the 
earth  ;  thereby  intimating  their  character  and  office, 
to  feafon  the  world  with  their  inftruflion,  to  purify 
it  by  their  example,  and  by  both  to  diffufe  fuch  a 
jweet  favour  of  life  to  all  around  them  as  fhould  pre- 
ferve  them  from  corruption,  and  render  their  perfonsand 
fervices  acceptable  to  God. 

Salt  is  the  fymbol  of  zoifdom ,  Col.  iv.  6,  of  perpetui¬ 
ty  and  incorruption,  Numb.xviii.  19.  2  Chron.  xiii.  5, 

of 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

of  barrtntfs  an djlerility,  Jud.  ix.  45.  Zeph.  ii.  4.  h  is 
like  wife  the  emblem  of  hofpitality  ;  and  of  that  fidelity 
which  is  due  from  fervants,  friends,  guefls,  and  do- 
medics,  to  thofe  that  entertain  them,  and  receive  them 
at  their  tables;  it  is  ufed  in  this  fenle  Ezra,  iv.  14* 
where  maintenance  from  the  king's  table  fhould  have  been 
Iran  Hated, yb/taf  with  the  fait  of  the  palate,  as  it  is  in  the 
Chaldee.  [See  Nitre,'] 

SAPPHIRE.  A  pellucid  gem,  having  the  fame 
name  in  Hebrew.  In  its  lined  date  it  is  extremely 
beautiful  and  valuable,  and  fecond  only  to  the  dia¬ 
mond  in  ludre,  hardnefs,  and  value.  Its  proper  co¬ 
lour  is  pure  blue  ;  in  the  choiced  fpecimens  it  is  of  the 
deeped  azure  ;  and  in  others  varies  into  palenefs  in 
fhades  of  all  degrees  between  that  and  a  pure  chrydal 
brightnefs  and  water,  without  the  1  ead  tinge  of  colour, 
but  with  a  ludre  much  fuperiour  to  the  chrydal. 

The  oriental  fapphire  is  the  mod  beautiful  and  val¬ 
uable.  It  is  tranfparent,  of  a  dne  fky  colour*';  fome- 
times  variegated  with  veins  of  a  white  fparry  fub-^ 
dance,-  and  didinbb  feparate  fpots  of  a  gold  colour. 
Whence  it  is  that  the  prophets  deferibe  the  throne 
of  God  like  unto fapbhire.  *Ezek.  i»  26.x,  1. 

It  formed  the-  fecond  done  in  the  high  Pried’s 
bread  plate,  Exod.  xxviii.  18.  and  is  fpoken  of  as 
the  fecond  in  the  foundations  of  the  typical  Jerufa- 
falem.  Rev.  xxi.  ip.  Ifai.  liv.  11. 

SARDINE  or  S  ARDIU5.  A  precious  done  of 
a  red  flaming  colour.  It  took  its  name  from  Sardis 
ar  Sardinia. 

SARDONYX, 

f  “Seremenim  call  ct  lucidifliau  h abet  cclonrn.'’  Boet. 


mmammm 


of  tiie  B  I  B  L  E. 


2  49 

SARDONYX.  A  precious  hone,  like  the  union 
t>f  the  fardius  and  the  onyx.  The  Hebrew  word  o- 
dew,  which  is  fometimes  tranflated  fardonyx,  rather 
means  the  emerald. 

SATYR.  A  name  given  by  the  ancients  to  a  fan- 
taftic  being,  partly  human,  and  part  beall.  They  are 
reprefented  as  having  horns  on  their  heads,  crooked 
hands,  fhaggy  bodies,  long  tails,  and  the  legs  and  feet 
of  goats.  They  were  imagined  to  dance  in  all  forts 
of  uncouth  and  lalcivious  poflurcs.  It  feems  proba¬ 
ble  that  fome  large  fort  of  monkey  or  baboon,  that 
had  been  feen  in  the  woods,  gave  the  hrlt  occafion  to 
feign  thefe  demi  gods.  Pliny,  mod  evidently,  means 
fome  fort  of  ape  under  the  name  of  fatyr.  He  fays*, 
fatyrs  are  found  in  fome  mountains  of  India,  that 
they  are  nimble,  running  fometimes  upon  ail  four, 
fometimes  ere£l  like  men,  and  they  are  fo  fwift  that 
it-is  difficult  to  overtake  them  except  they  are  old  or 
Tick. 

They  are  fpoken  of  in  our  Englifh  tranflation  of 
Jfai.  xiii.  21.  xxxiv.  14.  but  it  has  been  often  and  de¬ 
er  i  lively  proved  that  goats  are  there  intended. f  The 
Englifh  verfions  of  1550  and  1574,  have  it  “  and  apes 
lhall  daunce  there.” 

SCARLET  TREE.J  A  kind  of  dwarf  ever  green 
oak,  bearing  acorns.  It  grows  all  along  the  coaft  of 
the  Mediterranean,  in  Galatia,  Armenia,  Syria,  and 
in  Perfia,  where  it  was  firfl  made  ufe  of.  The  ktr- 

mts , 

*  I.  7.  c,  2.  and  1.  8.  c.  54. 

■f  Spencer,  de  leg,  hebr.  349.  Vitringa  on  Rev.  xviii.  2.  cited 
byWetfteinon  Matth.  iv.  24.  Loneman  on  Rev.  xviii.  2,  Farmer  on 
iemoniacs,  p.  329.  and  on  miracles,  p,  250, 

X  Coccus*  Hex  coccigera , 


6 5 0  The  NATURAL  HISTO  R  Y 

&  fmall  ball,  re.fembling  a  berry,  found  adhering 
to  its  leaves,  is  an  excrelcence  formed  by  the  punc¬ 
ture  of  a  particular  fort  of  fly  ;  the  fame  as  the  com¬ 
mon  gall  oblerved  upon  oaks.  1  hefe  are  carefully 
gathered  for  the  purpofes  of  dying,  as  they  yield  a 
mod  beautiful  crimfon  colour,  retaining  its  primitive 
lufhe  and  brightnefs  for  ages.  The  ancients  juftly 
admired  and  highly  celebrated  this  elegant  tin&ure. 

T  he  fear let  tinBure,  fpoken  of  in  Gen.  xxxvlii.  28, 
£xod.  xxv.  4.  and  in  many  other  paffages  of  ferip- 
ture,  the  Hebrew  aptly  exprefted  by  tolagnoth ,  worm 
colour  j  from  tola,  a  zvorm.  Pliny  calls  the  excrefcence 
ce  coccus fcolecius,”  the  10  or  my  berry.  And  we  retain  the 

name  in  a  mineral  colour  which  we  improperly  call 

vermilion . 

Ihe  raiment,  mentioned  Dan.  v.  5.  xvi.  29.  was 
not  dyed  with  this  tinfture,  but  was  purple. 


*  SCORPION.  [Deut.  viii.  15.3  An  infeef,  with¬ 
out  wings,  the  body  of  an  oval  figure  ;  it  has  claws 
like  a  lobfler’s  ;  the  tail  is  long  and  flender,  has  fev- 
eral  joints,  and  is  furnifhed  with  a  poifonous  fting.f 
CelfiusJ  conjeflures  that  in  i  Kings,  xii.  1 1.  2  Chron, 
x.  11.  Kzek.  ii.  6.  a  thorn  is  fpoken  of  whofe  pric¬ 
kles  are  of  a  venomous  nature,  called  by  the  Arabians 
Jcorpion  thorns . 

SERPENT.  This  word,  fays  the  learned  Gataker^, 
is  in  the  Hebrew  a  general  term  common  to  all  liv¬ 
ing  creatures,  in  water,  or  on  land,  that  glide  along* 

in 

*  An  Arabian  word  fignifying  warm. 

-f  See  its  hiftory  in  the  memoirs  of  the  French  Acad,  for 
M«  Maupertuis,  p.  2 2.  1 

|  Hicrcbot.  p.  2-  p.  45  §  Annot.  in  ICai.  xxvii.  1* 


Of  the  BIBLE, 


*5* 

in  one,  or  on  the  other,  v/ith  a  wriggling  kind  of  mo¬ 
tion,  without  the  ufe  of  feet  or  fins. 

There  were  ten  kinds  of  ferpents  known  among  the 
Hebrews,  i,  Ephe,  the  viper.  2 ,  Chephir,  the  afp, 
(the  Hebrew  means  the  lion  ferpent .*)  3.  Acfnub ,  the 

adder.  4.  Pethen ,  the  afpic.  5.  Tfchoa ,  a  fpeckled 
ferpent,  called  hyena  by  the  Gieeks  and  Egyptians. 

6.  Tzimaon ,  according  St.  Jerom,  the  ferpent  called 
clipfas  from  the  intolerable  third:  its  bite  occafions.i 

7.  Tztpha  or  tziphoni ,  the  regulus  or  bafililk.J  8.  Kip * 

the  acontias  or  jaculus^  :  One  of  the  moll  poifon- 
ous  ferpents,  darting  fuddenly  upon  a  man  and  kill¬ 
ing  him  inevitably.  The  word  is  wrongly  tranflated 
the  great  owl  Ifai.  xxxiv.  15.  9.  Shephiphon ,  the  ceraf 

tes ,  undoubtedly. ||  10.  Sarapk,  ihe  fiery  ferpent f  :  So 

called  probably  from  the  burning  fenfation  its  bite 
occafioned.  Plutarch  fpeaks  of  a  fimilar  kind  of  rep¬ 
tiles.**  “  The  inhabitants  of  the  country  round  the 
Red  Sea,  fays  he,  were  tormented  in  fuch  a  manner 
as  was  never  heard  of  till  that  time.  Little  dragons 
bit  their  arms  and  legs  ;  And  if  you  touched  them 
ever  fo  little  they  fixed  themfelves  to  the  flefh,  and 
their  bite  was  intolerably  painful  and  like  fire. if  The 
Hebrew  original  fignifies  alfo  a  winged  ferpent  :  And 

we 

*  See  the  article  afp, 

i  Deuc.  viii.  15.  See  Bochart  de  an.  facr.  p.  2.  1.  3.  c.  8. 

Lucan,  in  the  9th  booh:  of  his  Parfalia,  has  given  a  moft  ?fFe:<fiing 
defeription  of  the  infuriating  chi r ft  confoquent  to  the  bite  of  this 
dreadful  ferpent. 

t  Bochart  de  an.  facr.  p.  2.  I.  3.  c.  9,  10. 

§  lb.  p.  2.  1.  3.  c.  ir. 

It  *h,p.  2.  h  3.  c.  12.  and  Jerom  on  Gen.  xlix.  17.  aod  the  Vul¬ 
gate. 

<f[  Numb.  xxi.  6.  3.  Deut.  viii.  15.  Ifai.  xiv.  29,  xxx,  6. 

•  *  Lib  viii.  de  feft.  q.  9. 

ft  Such  2  ferpent  is  defcrlbed  it,  Yirg,  Georg.  3.  7,425—440, 


/ 

£52  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

wc  are  told  tnat  fuch  were  very  common  both  in  E- 
gypt  and  Arabia.*  The  learned  Bochart  defcribes 
them  as  fhort,  fpotted  with  divers  colours,  and  with 
wings  refembiing  thofeof  the  bat.  He  quotes  a  num¬ 
ber  of  ancient  and  modern  authors  to  prove  that  they 
are.  the  fame  with  the  hydra  of  the  Greeks,  or  Latins. 

I  have  a  little  enlarged  upon  this  feipent  called  fa- 
mph,  becaufe  it  was  of  fuch  that  the  Ifraeiites  were 
fo  grievoufly  bitten  in  the  wildernels.f  An  imitation 
of  one,  of  thefe,  formed  of  brafs,  was  by  Mofes  ere&ed 
on  a  pole,  that  tfyofe  who  fhould  be  bitten  by  the /a- 
raphim  might  look  up  to  it  and  be  healed.  The  fer- 
pent  thus  raifed  up  for  the  fecurity  and  the  faivation 
of  the  people,  Chriil  informs  us  was  a  reprefentation 
of  his  crucifixion,  and  an  allufion  to  its  reflorative 
defign.  Johniii.14. 

SHEEP.  A  well  known  animal*  The  benefits 
which  mankind  owe  to  it  are  very  numerous.  Its 
fleece,  its  fkin,  its  rlefh,  its  tallow,  and  even  its  horns 
and  bowels,  are  articles  of  great  utility  to  human  life 
and  happinefs.  Its  mildnsfs  and  inoffenfivenefs  of 
manners,  flrongly  recommend  to  human  affeftion  and 
regard  ;  and  have  defignatedit  the  pattern  and  emblem 
of  meeknefs,  innocence,  patience  and  fubmi (lion.  It 
is  a  focial  animal.  The  flock  follow  the  ram  as  their 
leader  ;  who  frequently  difplays  the  moff  impetuous 
courage  in  their  defence  :  Dogs  and  even  men,  when 
.  attempting 

*  Herodotus  fays  he  had  feen  them,  and  went  to  the  city  of  Bu« 
tus  for  that  purpofe,  1,  2.  ce  75,  76.  He  in  another  place  gives  a  par¬ 
ticular  defcription  of  them.  1.  3.  c.  107— no. 

•f*  Numb.  xxi.  9.  lfai.vi.  2.  xiv.  29.  xxx.  6,  See  further,  on 
this  fubjedt,  Bochart  de  an.  facr.  p.  2.  1.  3.  c.  13.  Cicero  de  nat. 
deor.  1.  1.  Mela  1.  3  c.  9.  Lucan,  I.  6.  and  9,  Solinus  c.  32.  Am» 
Marcel.  c,  iEli.ao*l.  2.  c.  38, 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


attempting  to  moled  them,  have  often  fullered  from 
his  fagacious  and  generous  valour. 

SHITTIM,  SITTIM,  SITTAH.  A  wood,  or 
tree. 

St.  Jerom  fays,  the  fliittim  wood  grows  in  the  dcfi- 
erts  of  Arabia,  and  is  like  white  thorn  as  to  its  col¬ 
our  and  leaves  ;  But  the  tree  is  fo  large  as  to  furnilh 
very  long  planks.  The  wood  is  hard,  tough,  fmootli, 
and  extremely  beautiful.  It  is  thought  that  this  wood 
is  the  black  acacia,  became  that ,  it  is  faid,  is  the  only 
tree  growing  in  the  defarts  of  Arabia. 

SILVER.  A  well  known  metal,  of  a  white  fhin- 
nig  colour  :  Next  in  value  to  gold. 

It  does  not  appear  to  have  been  in  ufe  before  the 
deluge  ;  at  lead  Mofes  fays  nothing  of  it  :  He  fpeaks 
only  of  the  metals,  brafs  and  iron.*  But  in  Abra¬ 
ham’s  time  it  was  become  common,  and  traffic  was 
carried  on  with  it.f  Yet  it  was  not  then  coined,  but 
was  only  in  bars,  or  ingots  ;  and  in  commerce  was  al¬ 
ways  weighed, 

SNAIL.  A  tedaceous  infe£L 

V7e  find  the  word  twice  in  our  Engliffi  tranflafion 
of  the  bible  ;  hut  the  Hebrew  does  not  judify  it.  In 
Levrt.  xi.  30.  a  kind  of  lizard  is  fpoken  of.  And  in 
Pfal.  Iviii.  8.  mod  of  the  verlions  prove  that  the  He¬ 
brew  word  means  wax  ;  and  comes  from  a  root  which 
•in  Syriac,  Chaldee,  and  Arabic,  fignifies  to  flow,  which 
all  know  is  a  property  of  wax  when  in  a  date  of  liq* 
ui  faction. 


*  Gen.  Iv.  22. 


f  Gen.  xxjii.  2,  15. 


SOAP. 


254  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

SOAP.*  The  name  of  an  herb,  in  Arabic,  called 
iifnam ,  of  the  afhes  of  which  they  made  little  balls, 
called,  from  the  name  of  the  herb  borith ,  which  they 
ufed  in  fcouring  and  wafhing  clothes. — Or  it  may 
mean  the  plant  called  foap  <vjort\ ,  the  leaves  of  which, 
agitated  with  water,  raile  a  faponaceous  froth  which 
has  nearly  the  fame  effects  with  foliations  of  foap  it- 
felf,  in  taking  out  fpots  from  clothes. 

SOAP  EARTH.  The  Jleatites ,  an  unfluous  kind 
of  earth,  in  much  edeem  in  the  bagnios  in  the  EaftJ 
for  cleaning  and  foftening  the  {kin.  Of  this  kind 
probably,  and  for  this  ufe,  were  the  two  mule’s  burthen 
of  earth,  fpoken  of  in  i  Kings,  v.  13. 

SPARROW.  A  little  bird  every  where  known. 

The  Hebrew  tzipphor  is  ufed  not  only  for  a  fparrow, 
but  for  all  forts  of  clean  birds,  or  fuch  whofe  ufe  was 
not  forbidden  by  the  law.§  The  rabbins  Kimchi, 
Pomarius,  and  Aquinas,  even  pretend,  that  it  figni- 
fies  all  birds  in  general  ;  which  is  confirmed  by  Bo- 
chart.  But  this  lad  mentioned  interpreter  {hews  al¬ 
io,  that  it  fignifies  a  fparrow  in  particular  ;  yet  that 
in  mod  padages  where  tranflators  have  rendered  it 
fparrow  it  may  be  underdood  of  birds  in  general. 

That 

#  Jereir..  ii.  22.  Mai.  III.  2. 

•f  Saponaria,  Tournef.  inft.  R.  FI.  333- tab.  J75* 

4  Shaw’s  trav.  p.  236.  edit.  fol. 

(jit  is  tranfiated  bird  in  Gen.  vi.  6.  vii.  14.  51.  li.  52,  53.  Lev. 
xiv.  52.  Deut.  xxii.  6.  Jab,  xli.  5.  Pfal.  xi.  1.  cxxiv-  7.  Prcv.  vi.  5. 
vii.  23.  xxvi.  2.  xxvii.  S.  Ecci.  xii.  4.  Lam.  iii.  52.  Amos,  iii.  5. 
Hof.  xi.  11.  birds  Gen.  xv.  10.  Lev.  xiv.  5,  50.  Deut.  xiv.  11.  Pfal. 
civ.  17.  Ecci.  ix.  12.  1  fai.  xxxi.  5.  Ezek.  xxxix.  4.  fctvl  Deut.  iv. 
17.  Pfal.  viii.  8.  cxlviii.  10.  Ezek.  x vii «  23.  xxxix,  ^7.  Neh.-  v.  2. 
ar.d  fparroiv  Pfal.  Ixxxiv.  7.  xcii.  7. 


i 


(*'P  THE 


B  IBL  E*  255 

That  the  fparrow  is  not  intended  in  Pfal.  xcii.  7.  is 
evident  from  feveral  circumdances  ;  for  it  is  intimat¬ 
ed  that  it  is  a  bird  of  night,  a  foiitary,  and  a  mourn¬ 
ful  one,  none  of  which  chara&eridics  is  applicable 
to  the  fparrow  which  reds  by  night,  is  gregaiious, 
and  cheerful.  The  word  therefore  ought  to  be  un¬ 
der  ftood  of  the  owl.  [See  Ozvl.~] 

SPICES.  It  is  evident  that  the  Hebrew  word, 
Gen,  xxxvii.  25.  fignifies  fome  particular  drug,  if  we 
compare  Gen.  xliii.  21.  And  fince  th ejlorax  is  veiy 
common  in  Syria,  whence  the  Arabians  tranG 
porf  it  elfewhcre,  it  is  probable  that  Aquila  had  rea- 
fon  to  render  the  Hebrew  necoth ,  do  rax,  as  Eochart 
has  proved  at  large.* 

The  word  tranflated  fpices  in  Cantic.  iii.  14.  iv.  16. 
and  v.  13.  may  hgnify  odoriferous  plants,  or  dowers. 

The  jews  objefcb  to  the  relation  given  by  St.  John, 
xix.  39.  of  the  quantity  of  Ipices  which  was 
brought  by  Nicodemus  to  embalm  the  body  of  Jefus, 

A  hundred  weight  of  myrrh  and  aloes  was  enough 
(fay  they)  for  two  hundred  dead  bodies. ”  JBifhop 
Xidderf  hath  attempted^  to  obviate  this  cavil  ;  but 
not  fatisfa&orily.  An  anonymous  critic  in  Wctftein’s 
Prolegomena J.  propofes  to  alter  fjc a,rov  to  txctrcoi/,, 
The  verfe  will  then  dand  thus  ;  (pspuv  efxvpirn? 

xcct  aXor\$  MTU  Xrtpocs  EKA2TX1N,  i.  e.  Nicodemus 
brought  a  mixture  oj  myrrh  and  aloes ,  about  a  pound  each. 
This  emendation,  however,  is  omitted  in  the  folio  e« 

dition  : 

*H  isrez.  t.  2.  1.  4.  c.  31.  and  p.  i.J.  a,  c.  51.  The  Samaritan  ver* 
lion,  Munfter,  Pagnin,  Arias  Montan.  Malvcnda,  Ainfwortb,  Ju¬ 
nius,  j.  H.  Urfinus,  Hort,  aromat.  I.  3.  c.  4.  The  fame  amr.nd- 
mentistobe  made  a  Kings,  xx.  13.  Ifai.  xxxix.  2.  Jerem,  viii.  2?.. 
xlvi.  7.  li.  8.  Ezek.  xxvii,  17. 

’f  Demonft.  part  3.  p.  65,  ed,  fob  %  4to,  p.  171. 


25s  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

dition  :  for  s^og  is  not  each ,  applied  to  two  things, 
but  to  more,  except  in  Alexandrian  Greek.  Dr.  Mark! 
ancl  Propofes  to  read  txctTspw,  where  the  sp  being  ab- 
bloviated,  it  became  gtc&rov.  Ait poc$  he  puts  in  the 
genitive.  This  makes  the  fenfe  the  lame  as  the  above 
ciitic  in  Wetftein.  In  confirmation  of  this  reading, 
the  learned  Dodor  obferves,  that  if  St.  John  had 
written  bkoctov,  as  in  the  prefent  copies,  the  participle 
Would  have  been  ccyw  not  Dr.  Owen,  how¬ 

ever,  very  julUy,  fupports  the  prefent  reading,  and 
oblei  ves,  that  *  if  fifty  pounds  of  each  be  thought  too 
much,  one  pound  of  each  might  be  thought  too  little*. 
l  Could  the  trifling  all  of  bringing  two  pounds  of  fpices 
be  deemed  either  a  fit  token  of  Nicodemus’s  regard* 
tor  a  fit  object  of  the  EvangelilTs  notice  P  That  great 
quantities  of  fpices  were  expended  by  the  Jews  at 
funerals  is  evident  from  what  we  read  in  2  Chron, 
xvi.  14.  In  the  talmud,  Mafifechelh  Scmacotk  VIII.  it 
Is  faid,  that  no  lefs  than  eighty  pounds  of  fpices  were 
ufed  at  the  funeral  of  Rabbi  Gamaliel  the  cider.  And 
at  the  funeral  of  Herod,  Jolephus*  informs  us,  that 
the  proceflion  was  followed  by  five  hundred  of  his 
ciomclties  carrying  fpices,  ccpufj^roipo^o^  that  is,  in 
the  language  of  St.  John,  o^pcop^cc t<%  (pegovrzg.9  This 
note  is  much  to  the  purpole  :  It  well  illultrates  the 
faff  recorded,  and  at  the  fame  time  jufiifies  the  ufe  of 
the  word  psgew,  obje&edto  by  Dr.  Markland.f 


SPIDER.  An  infedl  well  known. 

Pormed  for  a  life  of  rapacity,  and  incapable  of  liv¬ 
ing  but  by  blood,  all  its  habits  are  calculated  to  de¬ 
ceive 


*  Intlq.  lib.  17.  c.  8,  fee.  3. 

'1  $ee  Bowyer'a  cm.  conj.  and  cbf.  on  the  N.  Tell.  3d.  edit. 

At  1,  I7S3. 


J 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


257 

ceive  and  furprize  ;  it  fpread-s  toils  to  entangle  its 
prey  ;  it  is  endued  with  patience  to  expert  its  com¬ 
ing,  and  is  poffeffed  of  arms  and  ftrength  to  deflroy  it 
when  fallen  into  the  fnare. 

Job  fpeaks  of  the  flendernefs  of  its  web,  viii.  14. 
and  Ifaiah,  lix,  5.  draws  an  illuftration  from  its  in  if- 
chieveus  habits. 

But  the  word  Iran  dated  fpider  in  Prov.  xxx.  28. 
fiiould  have  been  rendered  the  newt,  or  fmall  lizard. 

SPIKENARD  or  NARD.*  A  plant  which  grows 
in  the  Indies,  whofe  root  is  very  fmall  and  Pender. 
It  puts  forth  a  long,  fmall  ftalk,  and  has  feveral  ears, 
or  fpikes,  even  with  the  ground,  which  have  given  it 
the  name  of  fpikenard. 

The  nard  of  the  mountain  is  very  odoriferous.  Of 
this  the  ancients  made  a  very  delicious  and  coflly 
perfumea  - 

STACTE.  Exod.  xxx.  3 4.  The  liquid,  or  mofl 
un£tuous  part  of  myrrh,  which  drops  naturally  from 
the  tree  without  cutting  it.  It  is  very  odoriferous, 
and  precious.  Diofcorides  Jfpeaks  of  it  as  a  finely 
fmelling  perfume  ;  and  Euripides  mentions  its  being 
burnt  on  the  altars  of  the  gods. 

STEEL.  Jerem.  xv.  12.  Hebrew  nehes,  copper, 

[See  Brafsy  Copper ,  OrichalcumC] 

STOR  AX.  Abalfam,  or  refin,  of  a  reddifh  colour, 
a  very  fragrant  fmell,  and  fweetilh,  pleafant,  arid  aro¬ 
matic  tafie,  with  a  perfumed  flavour,  [See  Spices .] 


X  2 

*  Nardus  Indies, 


STORK, 


The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

STORK.  A  bird  fimilar  to  the  crane  in  fize,  has 
the  fame  formation  as  to  the  bill,  neck,  legs,  and  bo¬ 
dy,  but  is  rather  more  corpulent.  The  colour  of  the 
crane  is  afh  and  black  ;  that  of  the  ftork  is  white 
and  brown.  The  nails  of  its  toes  are  alfo  very  pecu¬ 
liar  ;  not  being  clawed  like  thofe  of  other  birds,  but 
flat  like  the  nails  of  a  man.  It  has  a  very  long  beak, 
and  long  red  legs.  It  feeds  upon  ferpents,  frogs,  and 
infefls  ;  As  it  leeks  for  thefe  in  watery  places,  nature 
has  provided  it  with  long  legs  ;  and  as  it  flies  away,  as 
well  as  the  crane  and  heron,  to  its  neft  with  its  plun  ¬ 
der,  therefore  its  bill  is  flrong  and  jagged,  the  fliarp 
hooks  of  which  enable  it  to  retain  its  flippery  prey. 

It  has  long  been  remarkable  for  its  love  to  its  pa¬ 
rents,  whom  it  never  forfakes,  but  tenderly  feeds  and 
cherifhes  even  to  death.  The  very  learned  and  judi¬ 
cious  Bochart*  has  collefled  a  variety  of  paffages 
from  the  ancients  wherein  they  teflify  this  curious 
particular,  that  the  flork  is  eminent  for  its  perform¬ 
ance  of  what  St.  Paul  enjoinsf,  children's  requiting 
their  parents.  Its  very  name  in  the  Hebrew  language* 
chafida ,  fignihes  mercy  or  piety  :  And  its  Engliih  name 
is  taken,  if  not  direftly,  yet  fecondarily  through  the 
Saxon,  from  the  Greek  word  ftorge,  which  is  often 
ufed  in  our  language  for  natural  affeftion. 

It  is  a  bird  of  paffage  and  is  fpoken  of  as  fucli  in 
feripture  :  Jerem.  yiii.  7.  the  jlork  knoweth  her  appoint¬ 
ed  time ,  Sic. 

The  word  chafida ,  fays  Mr.  Merrick  in  his  com¬ 
mentary  on  Pfalm  civ.  17.  is  varioufly  rendered  by 
the  ancient  interpreters  :  But  BochartJ  obferves  tha£ 

the 


^  Hiercz.  1.  2.  c.  19.  p.  327, 
i  Hiercz.  p,  2*  !•  2>  c,  29. 


f  1  Tim-  v»4« 


of  the  BIBLE*  259 

$ 

the  bird  called  by  this  name  appears  from  feripture  to 
be  a  bird  of  paflage  ;  a  circumflance  which  belongs 
to  none  of  the  birds  which  the  ancient  vei  (ions  fup- 
pofe  to  be  thus  named  except  the  kite115  and  the  iiork. 
Profeflor  Michaelist,  fays,  that  the  word  is  generally 
tranflated  the  ftork  ;  but  adds  that  this  truncation  is 
founded  on  the  authority  of  the  Jews  of  the  tenth 
century,  and  on  that  of  the  illuftrious  author  of  the 
hierozoicon  :  But  thefe  writers  themfelves,  fays  he, 
have  been  led  by  an  arbitrary  etymology  to  this  inter¬ 
pretation,  which  is  not  perhaps  to  be  met  with  in  any 
of  the  ancient  verfions.  To  which  we  may  anfwer, 
that  this  interpretation  is  certainly  of  earlier  date  than 
the  tenth  century  ;  fmee  Olympiodorus,  in  his  com¬ 
mentary  on  Job,  (a  work  old  enough  to  be  mentioned 
by  Anaftafius  Sinaita,  who  lived  about  the  year  680J) 
mentions,  though  with  difapprobation,  fome  interpre¬ 
ters  who  a  (Firmed  the  chajida  to  be  the  flork.§  ,M, 
Michaelis  thinks  that  this  text  of  the  Pfalms,  asjcr 
the  jiork ,  the  fir  trees  are  her  houfe ,  makes  againft  the 
ftork  ;  ac,  though  it  be  true  that  this  bird  fometimes 
builds  on  trees,  yet  it  generally  chufes  to  build  on  the 
tops  of  houfes.  Yet  the  fame  learned  gentleman  very 
judicioufly  propofes  that  it  be  inquired  whether,  as 
in  the  eaflern  countries  the  roofs  of  houfes  are  flat 
and  inhabited,  this  very  circumflance  may  not  ob* 
lige  them  to  build  elfewhere.  The  following  paffage 
from  Dr.  Shaw's  travelsj)  may,  at  firft,  feem  to  de¬ 
termine  the  quetlion,  (i  The  florks  breed  plentiful¬ 
ly  in  Barbary  every  fummer.  They  make  their  nefls 

with 

»  The  r.CjivOS. 

■f  Recueii  des  quefl,  p.411.  X  See  Fabricius  bifelioth  Gr# 

^  Bochart,  h:eroz.  p.  z.  1.  Zi  C*  2.3.  fe C.  3. 

§  Travels,  p.  411,  ed.  zit 


t 


1 


"6(y  thh  natural  history 


with  dry  twigs  of  trees,  which  they  place  upon  the< 
highefl  parts  of  old  ruins  or  houfes,  in  the  canals  of 
ancient  aquuedu&s,  and  frequently,  (fo  familiar  are  they 
by  being  never  moleded)  upon  the  very  tops  of  their 
mofques  and  dwelling  houfes.  The  fir  and  other  trees r 
when  thefe  are  wanting,  are  a  dwelling j  or  the  ftork Here* 
we  fee  the  dorks  building  their  neds  upon  the  tops'  ' 
of  theeadern  houfes  :  But,  as  Dr.  Shaw  has  juit  be¬ 
fore  informed  us,  that  the  Mahometans  account  it  pro¬ 
fane  to  kill,  or  even  hurt,  or  moled  them,  (to  which* 
we  may  add, 'from  Hadelquid*,  that  thofe  peifons  a- 
mong  the  lurks  who  own  a  houfe  where  dorks  have* 
neded  are  fuppofed  to  receive  great  bledings  from  heav->- 
cn  and  to  be  free  from  all  misfortunes)  their  accefs* 
to  the  roofs  is  free  and  undidurbed  ;  which  might- 
.lot  be  the  cafe  in  Judea,  where  no  fuch  fuppofition.* 
appears  to  have  prevailed.  That  they  fometimes- 
ouild  on  tiees,  is  allowed  by  JVf,  IMichaelis  himfelf,.- 
ttind  con  fumed  by  J.  H.  Michaelis  in  his  commen¬ 
tary  on  the  Pfalms.fi  It  may  be  dill  more  to  our  pur¬ 
pose  to  obferve  that  OJympiudotus  (who  cannot  well 
be  fuppefed  to  have  borrowed  the  idea  from  this  - 
pfalm,  as  he  does  not  allow  the  chofida  to  be  the  dork) 
affirms  in  the  place  above  referred  to,  that  the  dork 
lays  its  eggs,  not  on  the  ground,  but  on  high  trees. 
Bochart  quotes  alfo  an  Arabic  writer,  who  fays  of. 
this  bird,  it  builds  its  ned  in  fome  very  lofty  place,.' 
either  on  the  top  of  a  tower,  or  tree,J  A  pafTage 
which  he  quotes  from  Varo  as  it  didinguiihes  the 

dork’s 


*  Travels  into  the  Eaft,  p.  32, 
fi  (i  Sic  ipfemet  in  Germania  non  uno  loco  nidul 
skis  et  feperius  aridis  quercubus  vidi.” 

X  “  Nequs  jiiduqa  f»n»it  nifi  in  loco  puts 

arbors*” 


antes  clconias  in 
in  pharo,  auti* 


OF  THE  BIBLE, 


26* 

{fork's  manner  of  building  from  that  of  the  fwallow, 
feems  greatly  to  favour  our  interpretation.*  Aldrovan- 
dus  affiims  of  the  black  (fork  that  they  are  wont  to 
make  their  nelf  on  trees,  particularly  on  Jir  trees.'i 
And  Strahlenberg  fpeaks  of  ftorksj  that  frequent 
great  forelts.  Hhe  word  agyjl9  continues  Mr.  Mer¬ 
rick,  which  he  mentions  as  the  Ruffian  name  of  one. 
kind  of  flork,  does  not  feem  fo  remote  from  the  He¬ 
brew  name,  but  that  it  might  poflibly  be  aeiived  from 
it,  and  may,  on  inquiry,  lead  to  the  dilcovery  cf  fonie 
other  name  of  that  bird  in  languages  akin  to  the 
Ruffian  which  approach  flill  nearer  to  it, 

SULPHUR,  A  vitriolic,  inflammable  mineral. 

SWALLOW.  A  bird  too  well  known  to  need 
a  defeription. 

Our  tranflators  of  the  bible  have  given  this  nami  to 
two  different  Hebrew  words.  The  firlt,  dtror ,  in 
Pfal.  Ixxxiv.  3.  and  Prov.  xxvi.  2.  according  to 
Bochart  is  the  ring  dove,  or  wild  pigeon  ;  which  is 
a  bird  that  flies  very  fwiftly,  and  fometimes  makes, 
its  neft  in  high  buildings.  The  Ethiopic  verfion 
renders  it  the  ring  dove ;  and  the  Septuagint,  the  Vrul* 
gate,  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and  other  ancient  verfions  the 
turtle. §  The  word  fis  in  Ifai.  xxviii.  14.  and  Jer.  viii. 
7.  may  probably  mean  the  j w allow ,  So  the  Septuagint, 
Vulgate,  two  manufcriptsj|,  Theodotion  and  Jercrn 
render  it :  And  Bochart  and  Lowth  follow  them. 

The 

*  £<  Advert  volucres  pu’los  facient,  in  agro  ciconiiEj  in  te£to  hi* 
jundines.”  V arro,  de  re  ruftica, ).  3.  c.  5, 

4. - <f  in  arboribus  nidulari,  prefer ti m  in  abietibus.  * 

4  Defcrip.  of  the  N.  and  E.  parts  of  Europe  and  Ana,  p.  447. 

|  See  Merrick’s  annor.  on  Pfal.  Ixxxiv,  and  Dureli  on  Proy, 

See  LowtVa  notes  cn  Jfai, 


z6z  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

The  ancient  Greek  interpreters  took  it  in  this  fenfe. 
It  is  faid  that  the  goddels  Jfs  was  changed  into  this 
bird.  And  the  fwallow  was  a  plaintive  bird,  and  a 
biid  of  pafiage,  which  perfectly  agrees  with  the 
meaning  of  Ifaiah  and  Jeremiah.  Some  indeed  fup- 
pofe  it  the  crane,  and  think  the  word,  hagur ,  joined 

with  it  in  both  places  (rendered  crane  in  our  Engliflx 
bibles)  means  the  fwallow.* 

SWAN.  A  well  known  water  fowl.  The  word 
thus  rendered  in  Levit.  xi.  18.  R.  Jonathan  and 
Bochart  fuppofe  to  be  the  tufted  owl.  And  it  is  fo 
rendered  in  tne  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and  Samaritan  ver^ 
fions. 


Si  GAMINE  or  SYCAMORE.  A  large  tree, 
according  to  the  defeription  of  Theophraftus,  Diof- 
corides,  and  Galen,  refembling  the  mulberry  tree  in 
the  leaf,  and  the  fig  in  its  fruit  :  Hence  its  name, 
compounded  of  <ruxo?  a  ng,  and  [xo^og  a  mulberry. 
And  fome  have  fancied  it  had  its  H rft  produflion 
from  the  ingrafting  of  the  one  tree  upon  the  other. 
Its  figs  are  palatable  :  When  ripe  they  are  foft,  wate¬ 
ry,  fomewhat  fweet,  with  a  little  of  an  aromatic  tafte. 
The  trees  are  very  common  in  Palefiine,  Arabia, 
and  Egypt  :  Grow  large  and  to  a  great  height,  and 
though  the  grain  is  very  coarfe,  are  much  ufed  in 
building.  To  change  fycamores  into  cedars ,  Ifal.  ix. 
io.  means  to  render  the  buildings  of  cities  and  the 
Rate  of  the  nation,  much  more  glorious  than  before. 
Being  large  and  well  rooted  its  removal  mu  ft  have 
been  peculiarly  difficult,  which  will  tend  to  illuftrate 
Luke,  xvii,  6*  and  the  Lord  Jaid}  if  ye  had  faith  as  a  grain 

of 

*  Pagnlnus,  Munfter,  Buxtorf,  Mercer,  Rab.  Salom,  and  KimchL- 


O'F  THE  BIBLE#  263 

$f  mujlard  feed ,  ye  might  fay  unto  this  fycamoYt  free ,  he  thou 
plucked  up  by  the  roots  and  be  thou  planted  in  the  fea;  and 
it  jhould  obey  you.  And,  as  it  was  a  very  lofty  tree, 
Zaccheus  made  choice  of  it  as  moft  propei  and  ad¬ 
vantageous  to  obtain  an  early  and  diftant  view  of 

our  Lord. 

TARE.  Math.  xiii.  24,  2*5.  (Z i^ocvov  :  from 
wheat  or  rye;  and  <ni/co  to  hurt.)  A  fort  of  vetches 
growing  among  corn.  In  fome  feafons  whole  fields 
of  corn  have  been  overpowered  and  wholly  deftroy- 
ed  by  it.*5’  It  is  not  eafv  to  determine,  however, 
what  plant  or  weed  is  here  intended,  as  the  word 
zizania  is  neither  mentioned  in  any  other  part  of 
fcripture,  nor  in  any  ancient  Greek  writer.  Some 
Greek  and  Latin  fathers  have  made  ufe  of  it,  as  have 
alfo  Suidas  and  Phavorinus,  but  it  is  probable  that 
they  have  all  derived  it  from  this  text.  As  this  gof- 
pel  was  firfl  written  in  Syriac  it  is  probably  a  word 
belonging  tc.that  language.  Buxtorf  in  his  Rabbin¬ 
ical  Lexicon  gives  feveral  interpretations,  but  at  laft 
concludes  with  fubmitting  it  to  the  decifion  of  oth¬ 
ers.  Our  Engltfh  tranflators  call  it  tares,  and  as  this 
conforms  to  the  intention  of  the  parable  it  may  as 
well  be  retained. 

TEIL  TREE.  Ifai.  vi.  14.  The  turpentine  or 
linden  tree.  It  is  very  common  in  Syria  and  Palei- 
tine.  Its  leaf  refembles  that  of  a  laurel,  and  its  flow¬ 
er  that  of  the  olive. 

THISTLE.  A  well  known  troublefome  plant. 

In  Job,  xxxi.  40.  fome  plant  that  has  ftrong  and 
fharp  prickles  is  undoubtedly  meant.  The  Chaldee 

renders' 


*  Withering. 


i  I  he  NATURAL  HISTOR  y 

renders  it  thorns  :  Compare  chap.  xli.  2.  It  is  tranf- 
‘*ated  thorn  Prov.  xxvi.  g.  and  Hof.  ix.  6.  Celfius  and 
Taylor  lay,  that  the  fame  word  and  of  the  fame  orig¬ 
inal  in  Arabic,  is  the  black  thorn,  or  Coe  tree. 

THORN.  A  general  name  for  feveral  clafTes  of 
prickly  plants.  The  rejt  harrow ,  that  mod  pernicious 
and  prickly  plant,  covers  entire  fields  and  plains  in 
Egypt  and  Paleftine.  This  is  perhaps  that  which 
Mofes  means  when  he  curfes  the  earth.  It  grows  in 

great  plenty,  promifeuoufly  with  the  large  thilfles,  in 
the  uncultivated  grounds* 

T he.naia  or  nabka  of  the  Arabians  in  all  probability 
was  the  tree  which  afforded  the  crown  of  thorns  put 
on  the  head  of  Chrifh  It  grows  very  common  in 
the  eaft.  This  plant  was  very  fit  for  the  purpofe, 
for  it  has  many  fmall  and  fharp  fpines,  w7hich  are 
well  adapted  to  give  pain,  The  crown  might  eafily 
-be  made  of  thefe  foft,  round,  and  pliant  branches.— 
The  leaves  are  of  a  deep  green,  and  very  much  re¬ 
ferable  ivy.  Perhaps  the  enemies  of  Chrift,  would 
have  a  plant  fomewhat  refembling  that,  with  which 
Empeioi s  and  Oenerals  were  ufed  to  be  crowned, 
that  theie  might  be  calumny  even  in  the  punifhment, 

rHYINE.*  A  tree  w’hich  rifes  with  a  dron? 
woody  trunk  to  the  height  of  thirty  feet  or  more^ 
a  he  bark,  when  young,  is  fmooth  and  of  dark  brown 
colour  ;  but  as  the  trees  grow  old  becomes  cracked, 
and  lefs  and  lefs  fmooth.  The  branches  are  produc¬ 
ed  irregularly  on  every  fide,  (landing  almoft  horizon¬ 
tally,  and  eroding  each  other  nearly  at  right  angles, 
ihe  younger  branches  only  are  garnifhed  with  leaves, 

which 

*  Thy  a  orlentalis,  Hort.  Upfal,  289* 


OF  THE  BIBLE. 


265 

which  are  placed  imbricatim  over  each  other  like  the 
feales  of  fifh.  The  flowers  are  produced  from  tit 
fide  of  the  young  leaves,  pretty  near  the  footitalk. 
Thefe  are  fucceeded  by  oblong  cones  of  a  beautiful 
grey  colour,  having  feales  which  end  in  acute  reflex¬ 
ed  points,  containing  one  or  two  oblong  feeds.  The 
leaves  have  a  rank,  oily  feent,  when  bruiled. 

The  wood  of  this  tree  is  hard,  receives  a  fine  pol- 
ifh  ;  and  is  a  valuable  article.  Rev.  xviii,  12. 

TIN.  A  well  known  coarfe  metal,  harder  than 
lead.  The  Hebrew  word  thus  tranflated  in  our  Eng- 
lifh  verfion  comes  from  a  root  fignifying  to  feparate . 
BUhop  Lowth  in  tranflating  it  in  Ifai,  i.  25.  calls  it 
alloy , 

TOPAZ.  A  gem,  or  precious  ftone,  efleemed  the 
third  in  order  after  the  diamond.  It  is  tranfparent ;  of 
a  beautiful  yellow,  or  gold  colour;  is  very  hard,  and 
takes  a  fine  polifh. 

The  oriental'  topazes  are  mofl  efleemed.  The  to¬ 
paz  of  the  ancients,  now  called  the  chryfolite,  had  al¬ 
ways  an  admixture  of  green  with  the  yellow.* 

It  was  the  fecond  ftone  in  the  High  PriefTs  petto- 
ral,  Exod.  xviii.  19.  and  is  the  ninth  in  the  founda¬ 
tions  of  the  New  Jerufalem.  Rev.  xxi.  20. 


dOR-TOISE.  Bochart  proves  that  the  word  tz ab, 
Levit.  xi.  29.  is  a  kind  of  aligator,  or  lizard,  about  a 
cubit  long,  with  which  Arabia  abounds.  Dr.  Shawfi 
fpeaks  of  a  lizard  called  in  Arabic  dhab  or  dab ,  like 

to 


*  Piin.  Nat.  Hift,  1.  37.  c. 
eft,  fuo  virsnti  genere,  etcurn 
t  Tray,  p,  350.  ed.  fo!, 

Y 


8.  “Egregia  etiamnum  topazio 
reperta  eft  prcelatre  omnibus.” 


gloria 


*66  Th e  NATURAL  H  ISTQR  Y 

to  the  caudiverkra  as  it  is  represented  by  Gefner  and 
John  fan.* 

VETCHES.  See  Fitches . 

VINE.  A  noble  plant,  of  the  creeping  kind,  fam¬ 
ous  for  its  fruit,  or  grapes,  and  the  liquor  they  afford. 

The  vine  is  a  common  name,  or  genus,  including 
feveral  fpecies  under  it ;  and  Mofes,  to  diftinguifh 
the  true  vine,  or  that  from  which  wine  is  made,  from 
the  reft,  calls  it,  Numb.  vi.  4.  the  wine  vine*  Some  of 
the  other  farts  were  of  a  poifanous  quality  ;  as  appears 
from  the  ftory  related  among  the  miraculous  aft s  of 
Elifha,  2  Kings,  iv.  39,  41.  [See  Grapes  ;  Wild  Grapes .] 

VINEGAR.  An  acid,  produced  by  a  fecond  fer¬ 
mentation  from  vinous  liquors. 

VIPER,  A  ferpent  famed  for  the  venomoufnefs 
of  its  bite,  which  is  one  of  the  molt  dangerous  poi- 
fans  in  the  animal  kingdom 

So  remarkable,  fays  Dr.  Meadf,  has  the  viper  been 
for  its  venom,  that  the  remoteft  antiquity  made  it  an 
emblem  of  what  is  hurtful  and  deftruftive.  Nay,  fo 
terrible  was  the  nature  of  thefe  creatures,  that  they 
were  very  commonly  thought  to  be  lent  as  execution¬ 
ers  of  divine  vengeance  upon  mankind,  for  enormous 
crimes  which  had  efcaped  the  courfe  of  juflice.J  An 
infiance  of  fuch  an  opinion  as  this  we  have  in  the 
hi  ftory  of  St.  Paul,  Afts  xxviii.  whom  the  people  of 
Melita,  when  they  faw.  the  viper  leap  upon  his  hand, 
presently  concluded  to  be  a  murderer  ;  and  as  readily 

made  a  god  of  him  when,  inftead  of  having  his  hand 

inflamed, 

*  Gefn.  de  quad  r.  ovip.  p.  23*  Johnfl:.  hift*  quad#  tab.  79. 

•f  Eflay  on  poifons. 

4  Hsi'odot.  1.  %■  c,  74.  /Elian  ds  animaltb.  1.  17,  c.  5* 


of  the  BIBLE.  a6y 

inflamed,  or  falling  down  dead,  one  or  ether  of  which 
is  ufually  the  effeCt  of  thefe  bites,  he  without  any 
harm  Ihook  the  reptile  into  the  fire:  It  being  obvi¬ 
ous  enough  to  imagine  that  he  mud  ftand  in  a  near 
relation  at  lead  to  the  gods  themfelves  who  could 
thus  command  the  meffengers  of  their  vengeance, 
and  counterwork  the  effefts  of  fuch  powerful  agents. 

Our  tranflation  of  Job,  xx.  lG.has,  the  viper  j  tongue 
Jhall  Jlay  him  ;  but  here  the  Hebrew  peten  rather  figm- 
fies  an  afp.  lfai.  xxx.  6.  fpeaks  of  the  ephcc ,  which  is 
thought  to  be  the  true  name  in  Hebrew  of  the  viper. 

UNICORN,  An  animal  which,  as  it  is  generally 
piftured,  never  exilted  any  other  way.  It  is  repre- 
fented  as  having  the  legs  and  body  of  a  deer,  the  tail, 
mane,  and  head  of  a  horfe,  and  with  only  one  long 
and  {trait  horn  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  forehead* 
Our  tranfiators  have  imagined  this  fabled  animal  to 
have  really  exifted,  and  given  its  name  to  the  He¬ 
brew  reem.  The  rhinoceros,  however,  anfwers  per¬ 
fectly  well  to  the  defeription  of  that  animal,  and  is 
undoubtedly  intended.  [See  Reem ,  Rhinoceros. J 

VULTURE.  A  large  bird  of  prey,  fomewhat  re- 
fembling  the  eagle.  There  are  feveral  birds  of  the 
vulturine  kind,  which,  though  they  differ  much  in 
refpeCt  to  colour  and  dimenfions,  yet,  are  all  eafily 
diltinguifhed  by  their  naked  heads,  and  beaks  partly 
ftraight  and  partly  crooked. 

They  are  frequent  in  Arabia,  ‘Egypt,  and  many 
parts  of  Africa  and  Afia.  They  have  a  molt  indeli¬ 
cate  voracity,  preying  more  upon  carrion  than  live 
animals.  They  were  declared  unclean  in  the  Leviti- 
cal  conftitution,  Lev*  xi.  14.  Deut,  xiv.  13.  [  Sec 

Raekamah.'J  WALNUT, 


268  The  NATURAL  HISTORY 

WALNUT.  A  tree,  both  for  Ihade  and  fruit,  in 
»uch  efteem  in  the  Eaft.*  And  probably,  amon, 
othet  gardenst,  Solomon  had  planted  one  principally 

°  Wa  nUt  ,rees’  but  intermixed  with  vines  and  pome¬ 
granates.  Cantic.  vi.  1 1. 


WEASEL.  A  voracious  and  deflruaive  little 
animal.  The  fpecies  we  would  here  defer ibe+  has 
bioad,  fhort,  round,  ears,  edged  with  long  white  hairs 

-Ls  mouth  is  Surrounded  with  white.  Its  head  feet, 
and  the  underftde  of  its  body,  are  quite  black!  Its 
hear,  is  crolfed  beyond  each  eye  with  a  white  band, 
pa  ung  oeneath  the  ears  along  the  Tides  of  the  neck* 
and  down  to  the  throat  :  From  the  hind  part  of  the 
ead  another  band  of  yellow  paffes  on  each  fide  ob¬ 
liquely  towards  the  fhoulders  ;  above  is  a  third.  The 
upper  part  of  the  body  is  of  a  brownifh  black,  ftrip- 
ed  and  fpotted  irregularly  with  obfeure  yellow  :  Its 
tad  is  about  fix  inches  long  ;  is  du/ky,  with  longer 
white  hairs  intermixed,  but  wholly  black  at  the  ench 
IFlie  animal  is  about  fourteen  inches  long. 

But  Bochart  explains  the  animal  thus  tranilated 
Lev.  xi.  29,  of  the  mole,  becaufe,  as  he  obferves  it 
comes  from  a  verb  which  fignlfies  to  dig  up,  and  be¬ 
caufe  the  word  both  in  Syriac  and  Arabic  fignifies 
/a  mole. 


WHALE.  The  largeft  of  all  the  inhabitants  of 
the  water. 

It  is  well  afeertained  that  the  writers  of  the  bible 
muff  have  been  ignorant  of  this  animal ;  as  it  is  nev- 
*£r  feen  near  Jerulalem  or, Egypt,  and  as  they  could 

have 

*  Olay.  Ce!f.  p.  1.  p.  28. 

J  Samaritan  wnafeJ, 


*f  EccJef.  i I.  .5. 


OF  THE 


iMMMW 


BIBLE.  s6g 


have  no  hiftory  of  Greenland  and  Spitzhergen.  And 
a  late  author*,  in  a  differtation  exprefsly  for  the  pur- 
pofe,  has  proved  that  the  crocodile,  and  not  the 
whale,  is  fpoken  of  in  Gen.  i.  21.  I  lhall  tranicnbc 

his  concluding  argument. 

“  There  yet  remains  an  argument  which  proves  that 
the  crocodile,  and  not  the  whale,  is  to  be  underftood 
in  Gen.  i.  21.  At  whatever  time  Mofes  wrote  the 
book  of  Genefis,  whether  before  or  after  the  depar¬ 
ture  of  the  Ifraelites  from  Egypt*  to  allure  them  that 
the  Lord  their  God  was  the  creator  of  the  crocodile, 
has  a  manifeft  propriety,  which  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  prefent  tranflation.  For  he  might  naturally  lup- 
pofe,  Ihould  they  incline  to  idolatry,  one  of  the  firft 
objects  of  their  adoration  would  be  the  crocodile, 
which  they  had  feen  wor Chipped  in  Egypt. 

And  Dr.  Geddesb  thinks  that  the  circumftance  of 
its  being  an  Egyptian  divinity  might  induce  the  hif- 
torian  to  particularize  it,  as  being  but  a  mere  creature, 


like  the  reft. 

The  word  in  Job  vii.  12.  muft  alio  be  for  the  cro¬ 
codile.  It  muft  mean  fome  terrible  animal  which, 
but  for  the  watchful  care  of  divine  providence,  would 
be  very  deftruftive.  Our  tranllators  render  it  dragon 
in  Ifai.  xxvii.  1.  where  the  prophet  gives  this  name 
to  the  King  of  Egypt  :  He  jliall  Jlay  the  dragon  that  is 
in  the  fea.  The  fza  there  is  the  river  Nile,  and  the 
dragon ,  the  crocodile.  Compare  Ezek.  xxxii.  2. 

Merrick  fuppofes  David  in  Plal,  lxxiv.  13.  to 
fpeak  of  the  tunnie,  a  kind  of  whale,  with  which  he 
was  probably  acquainted  :  And  Bochart  thinks  it  has 

its 


*  Rev.  James  Hurdis,  “Critical  differtation  upon  the  true  mean¬ 
ing  of  the  Hebrew  word  tranflated  whale  in  Gen.  i.  2.1.”  8vo.  1790. 
•f  New  tranflation  of  Gen.  1.  annexed  to  his  propofals,  &c. 


2"°  The  natural  history 

ils  G  reek  name  thunnos  from  the  Hebrew  thanot.  The 
aft  mentioned  filh  is  undoubtedly  that  fpoken  of  in 

We  are  told  that  in  order  to  preferve  the  Prophet 
Jonah  when  he  was  thrown  overboard  by  the  marin- 

nCrS’  L°r,d  PrePare<i  a  great  fi(h  to  fwallow  him 
vp.  What  kind  of  fifh  it  was  is  not  fpecified  :  But 
the  Greek  tranflators  take  the  liberty  to  give  us  the 
word  xurof  (whale)  and  though  Saint  Matthew,  xii. 
40.  makes  uie  of  the  fame  word,  we  may  conclude 
that  he  did  fo  in  a  general  fenfe ;  and  that' we  are  not 
to  underftand  it  as  an  appropriated  term,  to  point  out 
the  particular  fpecies  of  the  filh  ;  fince  the  naturalifts 
have  informed  us,  that  the  make  of  the  whale  will  not 
permit  it  to  fwallow  an  human  body,  as  the  fhark 

and  fome  other  of  the  water  animals  are  known  to  be 
capable  of  doing. 

Linnaeus  fuppofesit  the  charcarias or  lamia ^  which 
has  a  throat  and  belly  fo  prodigioufly  great  that  it  can 
eafily  fwallow  over  a  man  without  the  lea  ft  hurt.  It 
is  much  more  natural  to  believe  that  it  was  one  of 
thefe  h flies  who  fwallowed  Jonah,  than  to  multiply 
miracles  without  neceffity  by  fuppofing  that  God, 
who  kept  him  alive  for  three  days  in  the  belly  of  the 
£fh,  fhould  have  brought  a  whale  from  northern  coafls* 
and  then  enlarged  its  throat  for  his  reception, 

WHEAT,  A  grain  well  known  for  its  nourifhing 
qualities.  Its  Hebrew  name  is  from  a  root  which  fig. 
nifasfzvtctrxfs,  perhaps  from  its  peculiar  gratefulnefs 
above  other  grains. 

According 

v,  1,  p.  400.  No.  12.  <(  Jo nam  prophetam,  ut  ve teres 
Herculem  tr’mo&cm,  in  hujus  ventricvio  tridui  fpatio,  h zefifie  verofi- 


According  to  our  Englifli  verfion  we  read  in  Ezck. 
xxvii.  1 7.  that  the  Tyrian  merchants  traded  in  wheat 
of  Minnith  and  Pannag,  and  honey,  andoil,  and  balm. 
But  a  late  writer*  fuppofes  Minnith  and  Pannag  to  be 
a  corrupt  reading  ;  and  would  fubliitute  in  the  room 
of  them  zitk  ?  up  hag .  The  text  will  then  be  rendered , 

«  they  traded  in  thy  market  with  wheat,  the  dive,  and 
the  anti  honey,  ami  oil,  ami  fcaltu*  Tliis  is  a  pro¬ 
per  detail,  he  thinks,  of  the  commodities  of  Canaan  : 
And  fit  fubje&s  of  commerce  with  the  merchants  cf 
*  Tyre. 

WILLOW.  A  fmall  tree,  well  known,  growing ; 
in  low  and  wet  places. 

WOLF.  (Its  Hebrew  name  is  dib  M.Majus 

derives  it  from  the  Arabic  word  zaab  or  daaba>  to 
frighten  :  And  hence,  perhaps,  the  German  word 
a  thief.)  A  fierce,  ftrong,  cunning,  mifehievous, 
and  carnivorous  quadruped  :  Externally  and  internal¬ 
ly  fo  nearly  refembling  the  dog  that  they  feem  model¬ 
ed  alike,  yet  have  a  perfe£l  antipathy  to  each  other. 
The  animal  is  fo  well  known,  that  a  more  particular 
defeription  is  unneceffary*. 

The  i'cripture  obferves  of  the  wolf,  that  it  lives  up¬ 
on  rapinef  ;  is  violent,  bloody,  cruel,  voracious,  and 
greedy  ;  goes  abroad  by  night  to  feek  its  preyj,  and 
is  a  great  enemy  to  flocks  of  fheep. 

Indeed  this  animal  is  fierce  without  caufe,  kills 
without  remorfe,  and  by  its  indiferiminate  flaughter 
feems  to  fatisfy  its  malignity  rather  than  its  hunger. 

WOODCOCK. 

*  Rtv.  Hen.  Dimock’s  ferm.  on  Matth<  v*  18,  Load.  1783, 
Gen.  xlix,  27. 

%  jer.  y.  6.  Hal>,  1, 8.  Zeph*  ni.  34- 


■ttfl 

I  -  '■'* 

272  The  N  A  T  U  R  A  L  HISTORY 

WOODCOCK.  A  bird  of  paffage,  rather  fmsller 
than  the  partridge.  [See  Partridge .] 

W  ORM.  The  general  name  for  little  creeping  in- 
fe£ls  :  Micah,  vii,  17.  Pfal.  xxii.  6. 

Three  kinds  are  fpoken  of  in  fcripture  :  Thofe  that 
breed  in  putrified  bodies*  ;  that  which  eats  woolen 
garments+  *  anrl  ftiaf  yu> r fr\ yating'  f leaves 

and  bark  of  trees  caufes  the  little  excrefcences  called 
kernes,  whence  it  made  a  crimfon  dye.  J 

WORM  WOOD. §  A  plant  very  common  and 
well  known. 

Tournefort  obferves  that  the  oriental  wormwood  is 
an  underfhrub,  two  feet  high,  hard,  bufhy,  and  bran¬ 
chy  from  the  very  bottom,  where  it  is  as  big  as  a 
man’s  little  finger.  The  leaves  and  flowers  are  ex¬ 
tremely  bitter.  |) 

It  grows  plentifully  in  Arabia  and  the  defarts  of 
Numidia. 

*  Exod.  xvi.  20,  24;  Job,  vii.  5.  xvii.  14.  xxi.  26.  xxiv.  20 >  xxv.  6* 

JfaL  x:v.  1  j  .  -Aft?,  xii.  23  « 

f  If ai.  ii.  3. 

t  Dsut.  xxviii.  39.  Pfal.  xxii.  6.  job, xxv.  6.  Hai.xiv*  n,  xli.  14. 

Ixv.  24.  Ezek.  xvi.  20.  Jonah,  iv.  7. 

fj  Abfmthium  orientale.  Tournef. 

£}  V  ovags  to  theLevant.  v.2.  p.  157.410. 


FINIS.